


We Are Both Human, Not Fish

by jashinist_feminist



Category: Naruto, The Shape of Water (2017)
Genre: Alternate Timelines, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fusion, Changed Abilities, Crossover, F/M, M/M, Non-Massacre AU, OC, Original Character(s), Out of Character, Romance, Switched Abilities, Underpowered Characters, non-canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-11
Updated: 2018-11-03
Packaged: 2019-04-21 15:51:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 22
Words: 83,436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14288283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jashinist_feminist/pseuds/jashinist_feminist
Summary: After the incident with Danzo plays out a different way, Itachi Uchiha is left mute and recovering from a horrific attack. But his life is changed forever when three of his clansmen bring home a mysterious 'shark-man,' who they believe will help the clan become stronger.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> hey, so this is my much teased/spoiled SoW crossover with Kisaita! from the moment i saw the film i fell in love and wanted to do a crossover, i don't know if anyone has written anything along these lines yet.
> 
> this is my first time posting to ao3, so let's hope all goes well!

_If I told you all about him, what would I say?_

_My beloved older brother. Who I loved and admired with all my heart._

_A pacifistic murderer. An enigma. A mix of contradictions._

_Some say he had the wisdom of a Hokage aged six. Some say he was little more than a child._

_Some say he was a prodigy. Some say he was a waste._

_And some might even warn you about the danger of beasts._

_I say that love makes us beasts. Love brings out the primal, vicious instincts in us. The beasts aren’t the unfamiliar things we see that may seem strange or scary to us. The beasts are inside us. We embrace the beasts inside us to protect the ones we love._

_That’s one thing I know now._


	2. The Shark Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An expedition to the Hidden Mist brings back an unexpected surprise to the Uchiha Compound...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here we have the first actual chapter! i am so nervous about posting this, it's unreal XD for the Japanese honourifics and names, i used a translation site, but I've likely got them wrong. if that is the case and you know the correct ones, please let me know below in the comments and i'll edit them. also, at the moment, a lot of the characters may seem 'under-powered,' there's a reason for this, please bear with me, it will become clearer later!  
> you may also notice that I've created some OCs, such as Shisui's parents who weren't introduced in canon (apart from that he descended from Kagami Uchiha) and some extra Uchihas, and I've also developed a personality for Hazuki, Izumi's mother.

Sasuke’s hands hovered over a selection of papers that lay strewn across the desk in their father’s study.

“Hmm…how about this?” Sasuke held up a piece of paper detailing the family food shopping, and then trailed his finger down the list of words. All of them were written their mother’s flowery neat handwriting and accompanied by various costs and ticks.

His finger landed on cabbage. Without a moment of hesitation, Itachi signed _‘cabbage’_ back at his younger brother.

“Cabbage,” said Sasuke, before putting down the paper, and signing back.

 _‘Another,’_ requested Itachi.

“Ok, how about…” Sasuke let his finger trail further down the list. “Oh look! It’s your favourite, nii-san! Dango.”

Itachi rolled his eyes fondly, and then signed _‘dango’_ back to Sasuke, who repeated the sign, then laid the shopping list back down.

They’d covered the signs for food several times now. They’d done the alphabet, all the family names, animals, colours, and now Sasuke looked around the study for further inspiration. His onyx eyes flickered over several of Fugaku’s dusty old tomes that piled high on the bookshelves that reached the ceiling, before back to the desk.

“Let’s try something else,” said Sasuke, reaching forwards and opening one of the drawers of the desk. He slid his hand in and pulled out an old, yellow and faded piece of paper. There were crinkles, where it had been folded and unfolded again and again over the years, light traces where fingers had trailed over the papers, time and time again. The ink was growing faint, but the words were still legible.

Sasuke let his fingertip trail over the words, looking for any that would be interesting.

“Let’s see here…happy!” Sasuke picked. “Sign me happy.”

Itachi signed _‘happy,’_ which Sasuke copied, before reaching back for the letter.

“Love,” Sasuke chose. “Sign me love.”

Itachi signed _‘love,’_ and then Sasuke signed back.

“What next…” Sasuke’s eyes flickered along the page, only to realise the word had been repeated several times.

_‘I love you, I love you, from front to back, I love you.’_

“Hey, what is this?” asked Sasuke, his brows narrowing. He picked it up for a better look, and then gave a giggle.

 _‘What is it?’_ Itachi signed.

“It’s a love letter!” Sasuke held it up. “From dad to mum. Before they married.”

Itachi snatched it, only to discover a very thorough description of how much their father was looking forward to marrying their mother. The tips of his ears and his cheeks tinged pink. Sasuke howled with laughter.

“This is so funny!” Sasuke snatched it back, and allowed his eyes to trail down the page, absorbing in every word.

 _‘Stop it,’_ signed Itachi, trying to reach for it.

“What has been seen cannot be unseen!” declared Sasuke, holding it to his chest.

The brothers began to tussle for possession of the letter. Their playfighting was sharply interrupted by shout, and then a subsequent commotion from outside.

 _‘Quick. Otou-san,’_ signed Itachi.

“Otou-san!” Sasuke hissed, before shoving the love letter back in the drawer of Fugaku’s desk. He and Itachi hastily rearranged everything in the study back into place, and then rushed out, slamming the door behind them.

“Boys?” asked Mikoto, emerging into the hallways.

“Hi okaa-san!” greeted Sasuke innocently. “We were just…practising signs!”

“What’s that noise?” Mikoto gently reached between her sons and pushed a white cotton curtain aside. Her sons clustered around, and then peered out. Itachi immediately recognised his father emerging from his aunt’s house, where he’d gone to take Itachi’s cousin Izumi some new history books. Several of Itachi’s more distant relatives, or ‘uncles’ as Fugaku instructed him and Sasuke to call them as a sign of respect, had clustered in the yard that the houses in the Uchiha Compound surrounded.

Between them, a large tank rested.

Itachi’s eyes narrowed.

“They’re back!” announced Sasuke. “I bet they completed their mission successfully.”

“We’ll see,” said Mikoto. She placed a firm yet soft hand on her younger son’s shoulder. Sasuke was still young enough for Mikoto to lean down and place her hand on his shoulder. He was younger than Itachi by five years, and still very much the baby of the family. Though as Itachi scrutinized his younger brother’s frame, he suspected that he would eventually grow taller than him.

Fugaku had reached the recently arrived family members. They turned to greet him, welcoming him into their party and folding him into their ranks. Itachi watched their mouths moving, trying to decipher the words. He continued to watch as his father’s brow narrowed, and several lines appeared under his eyes, mouth and above his nose.

Itachi adjusted his posture to a subtle slight to the right, to instead watch his mother’s expression for clues, but her face was unreadable.

Fugaku’s lips moved, as he shouted commands, before turning back into their house. The recently arrived party began to haul the tank further into the compound.

“Otou-san! Otou-san! What is it?” asked Sasuke, running down the hallway, as the front door to their house opened.

“Nothing, Sasuke, nothing for you worry about. Mikoto!” shouted Fugaku.

“Yes dear?”

“Family meeting,” announced Fugaku, almost breathlessly and with such a tone of urgency that Itachi almost felt convinced enough to march down to the storeroom immediately. “In the storeroom of the compound.”

“In the storeroom?” repeated Mikoto, almost disbelievingly. Her thin black brows wrinkled. “Why the storeroom? Why not here? And if you’d said we were having a family meeting today, I’d have made the boys tidy up.”

“It’s unplanned,” said Fugaku. He reached across, and grasped Mikoto’s hands between his, pressing his forehead against hers. “I need you with me for this.”

As if sensing the unusual urgency, the unusual concern, Mikoto released her hands, and instead laid them both on Fugaku’s cheeks, as her forehead remained pressed to his. “Always.”

Fugaku offered his wife a small smile that he rarely shared with anyone else, before leaning up. “Itachi! You need to come too.”

“What for?” asked Mikoto, glancing over at her eldest.

“He’s spent enough time recuperating. He’s my heir, and he needs to be reminded of how these things are dealt with,” said Fugaku, reaching behind him to squeeze a firm hand on Itachi’s shoulder.

Mikoto didn’t look happy, but reluctantly conceded.

“What about me, otou-san?” asked Sasuke, tugging at Fugaku’s sleeve. “Can I come?”

“No,” said Fugaku, turning around to face his youngest son. “Go to bed.”

“It’s 5pm!” protested Sasuke, pointing at the clock above their heads.

 _‘Go and visit your girlfriend,’_ signed Itachi, standing safely concealed behind Fugaku’s back.

“Sakura is not my girlfriend!” shouted Sasuke, outraged.

Fugaku looked confused and shook his head. “That’s got nothing to do with this.”

 _‘Go and visit your boyfriend,'_ Itachi signed again.

“Naruto is not my boyfriend!” Sasuke protested again.

Fugaku whirled around to witness Itachi’s active hands. “Really, Itachi?”

 _‘It’s funny,’_ Itachi signed back.

“What did he say?” asked Fugaku, turning back to Mikoto.

“He said he’s sorry,” lied Mikoto.

“All right,” said Fugaku, none the wiser. “Mikoto, Itachi, with me. Sasuke, you stay here.”

“But dad!” protested Sasuke.

“Put a film on or something,” instructed Fugaku.

Sasuke groaned but conceded to Fugaku’s wishes. He slumped down on the sofa and watched with a pouty expression as Fugaku motioned for Mikoto and Itachi to follow him. Itachi bent down and slipped on his shoes, and then accepted his jacket that his mother held out. He didn’t think he needed it, but didn’t have the heart to say no. She had become…oddly protective during the last few months.

She meant well.

Izumi’s mother, Hazuki, emerged from her house and joined the procession of Uchiha adults towards the storeroom. Itachi glanced over at the windows to notice that Izumi herself was staring out the window, and that beside her was one of their younger cousins, clutching at her hand. She looked thoroughly unimpressed.

Izumi had complained multiple times of constantly being used as a free babysitter whenever there was a clan meeting. It was an interesting contrast to the time she had pestered Itachi to allow her to hold the infant Sasuke, and her annoyance when Sasuke immediately began to shriek for his brother.

Itachi’s cousin Shisui’s parents, Hiromasa and Ayako, emerged from their home, their son trailing behind them. Shisui wore an eyepatch over his right eye, and still had a ghastly pallor to his complexion. His black, slightly curly hair clung to his clammy forehead. He moved slowly. Itachi watched as Hiromasa turned, and then offered an arm of support to his son, which Shisui gladly accepted.

Shisui glanced up with his remaining eye at Itachi, and Itachi met his gaze in mutual understanding. Once, they had both been the pride and joys of their clan. Now they were broken and hurt; an amalgam of pieces that could never fully be put back together.

“Did oji-san tell you what’s going on…?” whispered Shisui as soon as he walked close enough for Itachi to hear him mutter underneath his breath.

 _‘No,’_ Itachi signed back in response. Hiromasa stared ahead, pretending not to pay attention to the boys’ conversation. For that, Itachi was grateful. Their family had been good at aiding their recovery and supporting them to try to carry on with some semblance of a normal life.

“Was Sasuke not allowed to…?”

 _‘No,’_ Itachi signed.

They reached the storeroom. In the Uchiha Compound, they all lived together in separate houses, away from the rest of the village. From his time spent working in ANBU, Itachi knew that they were being watched by hidden cameras. He had memorized the blind spots long ago, and taught Shisui the same. With that, he’d also managed to locate some of them, and wearing black clothing with a black mask across his face, managed to destroy a couple. But all the same…there was still the possibility that more had been planted.

Fugaku headed the crowd of Uchiha that had gathered to attend the meeting. Mikoto walked half a step behind him, while Itachi trailed after. The doors to the storeroom slid open.

“Come in, quickly!” said one of Itachi’s uncles.

“Rikuto, what is it?” asked Ayako, peering around Fugaku to address the leader of the returned trio.

“You’ll see,” replied Rikuto, waving them in.

The Uchiha all followed and slid inside, gathering around the tank that had been laid in the middle of the room in a circle. As soon as everyone was inside, the door clanged shut, leaving them in the dank darkness. There was a slight gasp and a murmur that bubbled around the room. The only light that penetrated was from tiny windows high up on the walls, casting tiny little spotlights on various specks in the room. The walls were made of thick concrete, and Itachi almost immediately felt the humid temperature rise with the gathering of so many people.

“What is that?” whispered Shisui, as his eye fell upon the tank.

“Gather round!” another one of Itachi’s uncles declared, striding into the middle of the room in front of the tank. “All of you! We have made an important discovery that will change the destiny of our clan forever!”

“What are you talking about, Shou?” demanded Fugaku.

“You’ll find out!” insisted Shou. “Everyone, silence!”

Itachi stared at the tank. Now that he was in closer proximity, he could easily see that the welding surrounding the glass of the tank looked like it was made of iron, or possibly steel. The whole thing shook, as if something inside of it was intent on breaking out.

“Do you think it’s a prisoner?” whispered Shisui. “I can’t even see through the metal with my remaining Sharingan.”

“Be careful!” Ayako shook her son by the shoulders. “Do you want to cause any further damage?”

Shisui reluctantly deactivated his Sharingan.

“Family, listen up!” Shou shouted, clapping his thin stringy arms together to collect every Uchiha’s attention. As the hushed murmurs fell silence, he began to speak again. “Whilst out on a mission, we had the opportunity to explore the Hidden Mist. We took a boat out, through the waters, where we encountered this rare beast that no one has ever seen before.”

“Like what, Shou?” scoffed Hazuki, folding her arms and tilting her head. The long braid she wore her hair in rippled as her shoulders flexed, strands of dark hair glinting in the small strip of light from the tiny windows. “Is it a mermaid? Or how about a particularly unusual-looking blobfish?”

Some of the family laughed, while Shou turned red.

“It’s not a blobfish,” he scolded. Shou glanced over to Rikuto, who nodded. Shou strode back over to the tank, and then pulled down one of the metal sides down to reveal a completely glass side, that revealed murky green water. Shou turned back to address the rest of the family. “It’s an animal.”

“I can’t see anything,” said Fugaku, his eyes boring into the water. Itachi noticed that his father had activated his Sharingan to look as closely as possible. “Is this a joke?”

“Touch the glass,” instructed Rikuto.

Itachi watched as his father strode over to the box, and purposefully rapped the glass with his knuckles.

Immediately, a fierce blue creature slammed against the glass, with an inhumane hiss of hatred. The rest of the clan yelped and recoiled. There were a few shrieks. Mikoto flung her arm aside and grabbed Itachi by the arm. Fugaku himself stumbled back several paces, his eyes wide and mouth aghast.

“What is that?” Fugaku growled. He whirled around to face the group who had returned and jabbed an accusatory finger in their direction. “Why have you brought it here?”

“This beast gave us quite the fight. I’d never seen anything like it,” said Osamu, stepping forwards from the group, flexing the muscles of his portly figure as he did so. “The chakra levels in this thing are insane.”

“When we first started capturing it, it started stealing our chakra and became stronger,” explained Shou. “Our whole party had to join in to take it down. Once we got it away from its weapon, we were all right. We all had to use our Sharingans.”

Fugaku frowned. “And what made you think you could bring it home…as a pet?”

“Not as a pet,” Rikuto shook his head. He held out his hands eagerly. “To study it. With this level of chakra…and the chakra absorption…we could use that. It could rival the tailed beast! It is fundamentally a tailed beast without a tail…It could help us become stronger.”

“We are already strong,” Fugaku scowled. “You should release it back to where it came from.”

“Strong?” asked Ayako. “Then, kindly explain why what happened to our boys happened?”

Itachi and Shisui shared a glance as the eyes of their clan fell upon them.

“Ayako, that has nothing to do with the…captive thing,” said Fugaku. “You know why. They were ambushed, and they were young.”

“I’m not releasing this thing,” said Osamu, slapping a hand on the side of the tank and ignoring the subsequent hiss. Itachi noticed a series of thin scratches along his forearm. They looked like they’d been made with sharp claws, or teeth. “It was too much effort to capture. I’m not wasting everything that we went through to just release it. It could be useful. I want to keep it in here and study it.”

“There are cameras surrounding our homes. The whole village is watching us, and it won’t take long for them to find out what we’re up to,” retorted Fugaku. “I know we have our plans, but to fulfil them we need to lie low. We need to bide our time.”

“Give us a week,” protested Osamu. He moved his hand away from the tank and took two steps closer to Fugaku. Fugaku’s eyes narrowed with displeasure as his personal space was invaded and was even more disgruntled when Osamu grabbed the front of Fugaku’s shirt. “Give us a week and I’ll tell you what this thing can do. We can defeat the village.”

“By using it to do…what, precisely?” demanded Fugaku. “Give me credible ideas, Osamu. I know thinking isn’t exactly your strongest point, but at least try to convince me.”

Osamu’s portly face turned red, releasing his grip on Fugaku’s shirt.

“That’s what we need to find out,” intervened Rikuto. “Shou and I will test it and find out.”

Meanwhile, Itachi had allowed his thoughts to wander, and as his father and clansmen argued and debated, slowly approached the glass tank. Despite the strength of the materials composing the tank, there also seemed to be some kind of chakra suppressing seal on it. Whatever was inside, however strong it was, however much chakra it had, it would not be able to get out.

Itachi reached out an intrepid finger, and gently tapped the glass with the soft pad of the very tip of his finger, just before the nail protruded. The water swirled within the glass, and Itachi stared, imagining patterns being created within the murky kaleidoscope before him as his finger tapped.

Immediately there was another hiss, and a thump on the glass. Itachi startled but did not look away.

Instead he stared directly at the ‘thing’ inside.

But he didn’t see a ‘thing.’

He saw the face of a man.

Granted, it was a strange looking man. Even with the green-hued tint of the water, Itachi could see that his skin was blue, and he had gill markings beneath his eyes, with sharp pointed teeth that protruded as he hissed. He was shirtless, dressed in nothing more than a ragged pair of trousers that had been torn at the knees. On his shoulders, were similar gill markings to those beneath his eyes. Most unsettlingly, there was a heavy chain collar tied around his neck that looked like it was cutting in painfully.

But despite that…to Itachi…he looked human.

“Itachi, come away from there,” instructed Fugaku.

Itachi gave one last reluctant look over his shoulder, before standing by his father’s side as the clan remained in a ring around the tank.

“One week,” agreed Fugaku, smoothing down his shirt from Osamu’s grip. “That’s all you can have. To get it out of here. You need to plan a mission to release it back to the Hidden Mist.”

“But-” began Rikuto.

“And I suppose you can study it while you plan its release,” Fugaku folded his arms. “And then I want it gone. Understood?”

“Understood,” said Shou.

“Understood,” added Rikuto.

“Understood,” echoed Osamu.

“I am not putting any of the children of this clan at risk,” Mikoto added, standing forwards and narrowing her eyes at Shou. She reached forwards, and grabbed the front of Osamu’s shirt, mimicking his earlier actions towards Fugaku. She leant her face forwards, so that her nose almost brushed his. “I want none of the kids from the clan in this storeroom during the next week. Is that understood?”

There were nods of approval around the storeroom. Mikoto allowed her eyes to slowly travel around the room, meeting everyone’s gaze, before turning them back on Osamu.

“Understood, Mikoto-sama” he squawked.

“Good,” said Mikoto, releasing his shirt with an emphasised flourish. “Put seals down around the building so that only adults may pass, and then for goodness’ sake, don’t let…whatever it is in there roam out.”

“Of course,” agreed Rikuto, laying his hand on Mikoto’s arm, almost as if to pacify her. Itachi felt his heart lift with pride as his mother elegantly shrugged her arm out of his grip, her back straight and her head held high.

“I’m going to go and check on my youngest,” said Mikoto. She turned on her heel and made her way out of the storeroom.

Itachi watched his mother leave, and then watched as the other members of his clan clustered back around the glass pane for another look. Some of them tapped the glass and pressed their faces against the panes. The man inside snarled and hissed, slamming against the glass wall again. All of the Uchihas recoiled back in horror yet again.

But to Itachi, he didn’t see a beast, or a creature, or just an animal. He saw a man. A hurt man. A man who was strong, and powerful, and proud. Now he was reduced to being held in a tank in a storeroom.

Itachi couldn’t watch any longer.

He tugged at his father’s sleeve.

“What is it?” asked Fugaku.

 _‘I will go with oka-saan,’_ signed Itachi.

“What does that mean?” frowned Fugaku.

“He says he will go with oba-san,” interpreted Shisui.

Most of the Uchihas, or rather, Shisui, Mikoto, Sasuke and Izumi had all leant sign language to communicate with Itachi. Fugaku had made some fruitless attempts. Itachi couldn’t blame his father, as the man was very busy, but all the same…surely his father must want to listen to his son…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as always, any comments, concerns or questions, do let me know! i'm grateful for any constructive feedback, long/short comments are fine, i appreciate any support! <3


	3. Family Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Uchiha family return home for dinner, and discuss the plans for the captivity of the 'shark-man.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much for the lovely comments! i was able to finish editing this chapter sooner than anticipated, so have decided to post it this weekend before everyone goes back to work/school/uni/life! i hope you will enjoy.
> 
> Hidan makes a cameo on the tv screen...oh, and if you're wondering why Fugaku yells at his ninja son for watching a 'gory documentary' it's meant to be a bit of an ironic joke. :P
> 
> the prank that Itachi mentions playing on a younger Sasuke with Shisui is actually from a meme i found online. i thought it was hilarious XD

“What was it?” demanded Sasuke, emerging in the hallway the moment Itachi and Mikoto stepped back in the house.

“Nothing to worry about, sweetie,” said Mikoto, bending to slip off her dolly shoes and then laying them on the shoe rack. Itachi pulled off his shoes and removed his jacket, placing it back on the coat peg where Mikoto had retrieved it from.

“Nothing?” Sasuke asked in a disappointment tinged voice. “But what was in that tank?”

“Just some artefacts from the mission, sea creatures, nature samples,” lied Mikoto. “Nothing to get concerned about.”

“Oh, that’s boring,” sulked Sasuke.

“Yes, that’s right, dear,” said Mikoto, petting Sasuke’s spiky hair, her slim white fingers threading through the individual tuffs of spikes. “I’m going to go and put the dinner on.”

Mikoto strode into the kitchen. Itachi noticed how his mother’s shoulders sagged with relief as Sasuke ceased to ask any further questions. He sat down on the sofa with his brother, and then stared at the television. Sasuke had left the television on a documentary channel, which was detailing the gory antics about the little-known Jashinist religion.

In the privacy of his own home, Itachi openly wrinkled his nose at a particularly bloody scene of a sacrifice left outside of Amegakure.

“So,” began Sasuke, pressing the remote control to turn the television up louder and sitting closer to Itachi so that he could speak to his older brother freely. “What was it?”

 _‘Oka-saan said it was nothing,’_ Itachi signed back.

Even as he did so, he felt like he was doing the man in the tank a disservice, by referring to him as ‘nothing.’

And lying to Sasuke felt bad, always. When his brother had been younger, he and Shisui were trying to play video games, and Sasuke insisted on joining them. At Shisui’s suggestion, they gave Sasuke a calculator and told him it was another controller. It was months until Sasuke realised they were lying to him. The resulting fight had not been pleasant, and Itachi felt bad about it, even now that Sasuke was twelve and had probably forgotten.

“No, it wasn’t,” replied Sasuke smartly. “It was definitely something. Why would there need to be a family meeting about some nature samples?”

Itachi inwardly sighed, realising that Sasuke was smarter than he gave him credit for. But he also felt a conflicting swirl of relief join the emotion. He signed back. _‘It was a captive.’_

“They’ve taken someone captive?” whispered Sasuke, his dark eyes wide with curiosity. He leant forwards towards Itachi, almost tipping off the sofa. “Is it someone we know?”

Itachi shook his head. _‘Someone from the Hidden Mist.’_

“The Hidden Mist? You mean…the Bloody Mist? An actual, real life person?” asked Sasuke, his dark eyes wide.

Itachi nodded.

“Wow,” Sasuke trailed off. He briefly turned away to stare at the coffee table in awe, before spinning back round face his brother. “Wait until I show Naruto this!”

 _‘You cannot,’_ Itachi signed back. _‘We cannot tell anyone.’_

“Not even Sakura and Naruto?” asked Sasuke.

_‘No.’_

“But what about Kakashi-sensei?”

 _‘No!’_ Itachi shook his head firmly. _‘Not him! Especially not him!’_

“But nii-san-” protested Sasuke.

 _‘Otou-san’s orders,’_ Itachi signed.

Sasuke slumped back against the cushions of the sofa disappointedly.

Itachi reached across and affectionately poked Sasuke’s forehead. _‘Sorry,’_ Itachi signed.

Sasuke rubbed his forehead, and stared ahead at the television screen, but without really paying attention to what was happening. Itachi turned and stared too, then grimaced at the sight of yet another body that had been sacrificed, as well as a blurry picture that had been taken of a silver-haired man.

In the kitchen, Itachi heard his mother clanging around. There was no sign of his father yet. Presumably, Fugaku was helping with Mikoto’s requested seals being placed around the storeroom.

Itachi climbed upright, and then wandered back into Fugaku’s study. It felt like ages since he and Sasuke had played their silly signing game. He slowly drew the drawer open again, and picked up the love letter, allowing his eyes to scan the page again.

_‘I feel encased in the sea of your love.’_

They were strangely passionate words for a such a serious man with such great responsibilities. Itachi allowed his fingers to trace over the words, following the tracks left by both Mikoto and Fugaku. A cherished correspondence. His father couldn’t have been much older than Itachi himself when he wrote them. How many times over the years must they have reread them, remembering those days?

“What are you doing?” asked Mikoto.

Itachi practically dropped the papers and turned to face Mikoto standing in the doorway of the study, a white cooking apron wrapped around her waist.

“Why are you in here?” asked Mikoto.

 _‘Sasuke and I were signing earlier,’_ Itachi quickly replied.

“What’s that?” asked Mikoto. But as soon as her eyes fell on the paper, she recognised it. She shook her head. “Really, what are you two like? Those were meant to be private.”

 _‘I did not realise,’_ Itachi signed.

Mikoto grabbed the letter and stuffed it inside her pockets. She reached forwards and affectionately tugged his ponytail. “Come on then, you can come and help me put the tea on.”

Itachi followed his mother into the kitchen. There was a selection of vegetables laid out on the work top, and Mikoto had been furiously chopping them into pieces. Clearly she was taking out her frustrations from the earlier gathering out in her cooking. Itachi joined her, slapping the knife through the flesh of the vegetable and clanging on the chopping board.

“I don’t suppose you’ve ever written a love letter to anyone yet?” asked Mikoto.

His cheeks immediately tinged pink. Itachi shook his head, as his hands were busy preparing the food.

“How about Izumi?” asked Mikoto, her tone taking on an overly bright, casual tone. Itachi knew it was the tone she used whenever she was trying to pry and yet didn’t want him to catch on that she was prying. It wasn’t working. It never did. “You liked her, didn’t you?”

Itachi put the knife down, and signed back, _‘Izumi does not need a broken boy.’_

Mikoto immediately frowned. “Who said that?”

Itachi gestured to himself, _‘I did.’_

“Don’t think like that. You’re not broken,” Mikoto shook her head.

 _‘I don’t think I will ever find anyone,’_ Itachi signed back, deciding that honesty about all his feelings would be the best course of action to end the unwelcome conversation quickly. _‘After everything I’ve experienced, I don’t think I will ever find anyone who will relate to me.’_

“Oh, my son,” Mikoto wrapped an arm around Itachi’s shoulders, and leaned up to kiss his forehead. Itachi noticed that she had to stand on her toes. “Time will heal everything.”

 _‘Not all things,’_ Itachi signed.

The sound of the front door rattled, as Fugaku arrived back.

“It’s all taken care of!” he shouted cheerfully. At first Itachi frowned, wondering why his father sounded so upbeat, then immediately guessed that it had to be a ruse to keep Sasuke from growing suspicious.

Ironically, a cheerful Fugaku would be an even more suspicious thing to be concerned about.

“Wonderful news, dear!” Mikoto shouted back, equally cheerfully. She patted Itachi on the arm, and then turned back to cutting up the vegetables. Boiling rice bubbled away on the stove, and soon Mikoto began to mix everything together and fry it a giant, family-sized pan. Itachi heard Fugaku change his shoes for a pair of slippers, and then wander into the living room to join Sasuke.

“What on earth are you watching?!” yelled Fugaku.

“It’s a documentary! An educational one!” protested Sasuke.

“About the Jashinist cult?! It’s not age-appropriate! Who said you could watch that?!”

“You did!” Sasuke continued to protest. “Before you left, you said I should watch the television! But you didn’t say what!”

“What was I thinking?” groaned Fugaku.

Mikoto laughed softly. Itachi couldn’t help but break into a smile, the tensions from earlier melting as they collectively began to chuckle at Fugaku’s lapse in judgement.

Sasuke appeared in the doorway sulkily, followed by Fugaku grumbling after. The family clustered around the table as Itachi brought over a giant serving pan for them all to help themselves. Fugaku automatically knelt at the head of the table, whilst Mikoto perched beside him. Sasuke knelt opposite to her, beside his father, and so Itachi took the remaining place beside Mikoto. The warm, savoury scent of the vegetables and rice filled the air. As Mikoto began to pass around a serving spoon and the cutlery began to clatter, the atmosphere changed to that of a loving family, rather than the tense atmosphere of a political clan.

“Are you ok to eat this, love?” asked Mikoto, once everyone had been served. She reached across the table sideways, to stroke Itachi’s cheek. Her fingers trailed down, and gently brushed against the scars along his neck. “I made rice so that it wasn’t so hard to swallow for you.”

 _‘Perfect,’_ Itachi signed back, before taking a big mouthful to please her. Mikoto looked so delighted, that her cheeks tinged pink like a school girl. Itachi stared for a moment, but then Mikoto turned her head downwards, so that her long dark hair concealed her face from him, seemingly embarrassed by her joy. In some ways, Itachi was relieved to see his mother so happy, as he remembered how hurt she’d been when aged thirteen, he’d refused to eat with the family.

 _'How could I have disrespected and hurt my own mother like that?'_ Itachi thought to himself. _'This brave woman brought me into this world. She loved me even when I couldn’t love myself. She would kill for me. And she has.'_

All things considered, at least they were all together again, as a family. And so for a while, he allowed himself to bask in the restored happy atmosphere. Sasuke began to prattle on about some techniques that Kakashi was teaching him and his friends, and Fugaku nodded along, listening intently.

But then Itachi’s thoughts turned back to the man in the tank in the storeroom.

Did he have a family?

Itachi stared at his plate, feeling his hunger start to disparate.

“What is it?” asked Mikoto, her spoon poised hovering in mid-air.

 _‘Nothing,’_ he signed back, before continuing to eat like before. But it tasted bland now, like cardboard, and he simply passed through the motions.

The evening was spent in each other’s company in the living room. First they played Monopoly, where both Itachi and Mikoto silently agreed to allow Sasuke to win. Then, as Fugaku worked through some paperwork in the armchair, Mikoto flicked on a romantic comedy film. At half past nine, Mikoto sent Sasuke to get ready for bed, reminding him that he had training the next morning.

Outside the windows had turned pitch black. All was silent and still around the Uchiha Compound. Itachi couldn’t see the storeroom in the darkness any longer.

“Do you think he’s asleep yet?” asked Fugaku, as Mikoto climbed up to shut the curtains.

“Give him a minute, he’ll be brushing his teeth,” said Mikoto, drawing them closed. She returned to her seat, and she and Itachi turned their attention back to the television.

Five minutes later, Fugaku spoke again. “Now do you think he’s asleep?”

 _‘What is it?’_ signed Itachi.

Fugaku stared blankly at Itachi’s signs, before turning to Mikoto. “What did he say?”

“He asked; what is it?” replied Mikoto.

“All right,” sighed Fugaku. He glanced upwards and briefly remained silent, his ears pricked. As if knowing what Fugaku was attempting to determine, Itachi and Mikoto stayed silent too. There was no subsequent movement from Sasuke, and so Fugaku cleared his throat and began to explain. “Whilst we sealed the storeroom, we all agreed that someone from the clan should keep watch over the…shark man at all times.”

“Oh,” said Mikoto. She worried the corner of her lip.

“I decided it would be best to keep watch in pairs, or threes depending on who it is,” revealed Fugaku. “I agreed to keep watch with some of the others tomorrow. And then in the evening while everyone eats, Shisui offered to keep watch. He said he wanted me to ask you, Itachi, if you would accompany him.”

 _‘Of course,’_ Itachi signed immediately, without a doubt.

“I thought I said no-” began Mikoto.

“He’s hardly a child, Mikoto, he’s seventeen!”

 _‘Almost eighteen,’_ corrected Itachi.

“Well, I don’t want Sasuke going in there,” Mikoto barked determinedly. “We almost lost one son, I won’t let the same happen to another!”

Itachi reached across the room, and gently tugged at her sleeve. Mikoto breathed heavily for a while, then turned her attention back to Itachi to watch him.

 _‘Okaa-san, it is fine,’_ he signed.

“Are you sure?”

 _‘I’m sure,’_ Itachi signed back. _‘I will be fine.’_

“Good. That’s settled then,” said Fugaku. He lifted his papers back to his face to read closely, but then glanced back over the top at Mikoto and Itachi. “Truthfully, I’d rather not have it on my property. I’ve never seen anything like it. I would have had Rikuto, Osamu and Shou take it back to Kirigakure today, if there wasn’t such a high risk of drawing even more attention to us. I don’t want there to be any repercussions for us.”

“As long as we are careful, I hope there will be no cause for concern,” Mikoto folded her arms. “Worse things have happened in the Compound that haven’t drawn any attention from the rest of the village. Although…I’d much rather it wasn’t here too. I think it’s terrifying, especially those teeth! Did you see how long and sharp they were?”

Itachi decided that he didn’t want to listen anymore. He rose, and then signed to his parents. _‘Goodnight.’_

“Goodnight, Itachi,” said Mikoto.

“Night, son,” said Fugaku.

Itachi made his way up the stairs, past Sasuke’s room where he knew Sasuke was probably lying very still and very quietly on the floor, with his ear pressed firmly to the ground to listen to their earlier conversation, and into the retreat of his own room.

The first thing he did was sit down heavily on his bed. It was almost as if the thoughts whirling around his mind had dragged him down with invisible weights. He slumped forwards, placing his head in his hands, and then raked a hand through his dark hair, tugging some loose from his ponytail. He lifted his head wearily to look around his room.

Whilst he’d been recuperating, he’d spent a lot of time in here.

Itachi’s room consisted of mainly basic, neutral colours. To him, they were calming. His bed was piled high with blankets and extra cushions, as he liked to burrow under them at night, and feel safe, secure and comforted. Around the room, his possessions were tucked away carefully in their proper place. His clothes were in the wardrobe, his books stacked on the bookshelf, old katana and ANBU mask stashed on the top shelf gathering dust, and his slippers neatly tucked underneath his bed for whenever he needed them. The only remotely messy, or disorganised part, was his bedside table. Everything he particularly wanted or needed was still piled high, including a book on sign language, a notepad and several pens, and painkillers, although they weren’t needed so much anymore. The sleeping tablets, he tried to avoid, but were sometimes still necessary.

He knew he ought to tidy it up, throw some of it away, but hadn’t yet brought himself to close that chapter on his life yet and begin the next.

Itachi stood back up, and wandered into the en suite, deciding that a hot bath was what he needed. His en suite consisted of a bathtub, a sink, toilet, and a small drawer with his toiletries in. A single candle rested on the window sill that he occasionally lit whenever he wanted some calm lighting.

A small and non-demanding katon lit the candle. The scent of lavender filled the room. Itachi walked over to the bathtub, and eased the first tap around, allowing the hot water to gurgle into the tub whilst he undressed himself. Black garments fell to the floor, each landing with a gentle pat. When the hot water reached a third full, he eased on the second tap, and stirred in the cold water with his fore and middle fingers.

Satisfied that it had reached his desired temperature, he lowered in one foot, before lifting in the second. He lay back, submerging his body completely, allowing the water to lull over him. Strands of black hair floated elegantly on the surface, dappling with each minor movement, each breath he took. Itachi let himself slide under water, holding his breath, wanting to hide under here where it was warm and quiet and soothing.

After a minute, or maybe two, he realised that he couldn’t take it much longer. He broke the surface with a gasp, then leant his head on the side of the tub.

No, he couldn’t hide underwater forever. He wasn’t a fish.

When he realised he was getting sleepy, he clamoured out, and wrapped himself in a dove grey bathrobe. In the reflection of the mirror, he towelled dried his hair with a white muslin cloth, and then brushed his teeth, before turning sideways in the mirror, looking at the scar.

It was still an angry red weal against his milky white skin, but it had begun to fade. The edges of the scar were more of a shiny purple tint. Like the stretchmarks that he and Sasuke had carved into Mikoto’s belly before they made their way into the world, screaming and squalling fit to burst.

Itachi trailed a long finger across it. At least it didn’t hurt anymore.

In one breath, he blew out the candle, and retreated to his bedroom. He slipped the robe from his shoulders, pulling on his pyjamas, before crawling under the covers. There was no guessing to what his dreams would be filled with tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading! i hope to hear your thoughts on this chapter! <3
> 
> next chapter...Itachi visits Izumi, then goes to take the first watch of the 'shark-man' with Shisui, meeting Kisame properly for the first time...


	4. First Watch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Itachi pays a visit to Izumi and Hazuki, and then takes his first watch of the 'sharkman' with Shisui.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yay, Itachi finally gets to interact with Kisame! <33  
> however first, he pays a visit to Izumi and Hazuki. i've given them both a bit more personality than i felt they had in canon, and i hope you will love them as much as i do!
> 
> also i figured out how to italics and make page breaks...i'm such a technophobe XD

_Pain._  
_That was all he could feel._  
_Red, raw pain scrabbled at his neck where his vocal cords had once been._  
_The bite of the blade was so cold, it was hot._  
_And the bite of the blade was so hot, it was cold._  
_Itachi’s hands shook in mid-air, as he didn’t know whether to cover the wounds with his hands and try to save what was left, to try and stop the blood streaming down his throat, or risk doing any further damage._  
_His mouth slackened, and he stared at his assailant with blank eyes._  
_‘I am bleeding to death,’ he thought._  
_Soon, it was all dark._

* * *

 

Itachi awoke with a start to the smell of miso soup wafting through the air. For a moment, he lay immobilised, as if the dream still loitered in the air. But the scent grew stronger, his fingers curled into the softness of his blankets, and he remembered that he wasn’t lying on the hard ground, feeling the life slipping away from him, but he was here. He was in his bed, in his room, in his home, where it was safe.

He climbed upright, out of bed, slipping his feet into the pair of slippers tucked under his bed. He wrapped a light dressing gown around himself, and then made his way downstairs.

Mikoto stood at the stove, wearing a lilac cotton dressing gown with little blue forget-me-not flowers embroidered on, and a cooking apron wrapped around herself. Her long black hair was already brushed and tied back in a ponytail for cooking.

The door to the garden was thrown open to allow the heat from the cooking to escape, and a gentle breeze played around the room, lifting the stray wisps of Mikoto’s hair.

“Good morning, sweetheart,” greeted Mikoto, leaning away from the stove to greet Itachi with a kiss on the cheek. “How did you sleep?”

 _‘Well,’_ signed Itachi, despite it being a lie.

Mikoto smiled fondly. “That’s good. I’m glad you at least slept well. I tossed and turned all night. When dawn broke, I just gave up, and decided to get to work on breakfast. Are you hungry?”

_‘Yes.’_

“Here you go,” Mikoto poured a bowl of miso soup, and a bowl of steamed fish. She laid some grilled fish beside them both, then brought them to the table.

As she did so, she chattered away animatedly. Itachi knew why she did it. It was to break the silence that he contributed to every room and situation. “Your brother has gone out for training with Kakashi and the rest of Team Seven. He’s still cross about you referring to Naruto and Sakura as his boyfriend and girlfriend yesterday.”

Itachi shrugged, then signed. _‘He would say the same about Shisui and Izumi.’_

“Yes, I suppose that’s true. I’ll remind him of that, next time he starts up again. What are your plans for today, dear?”

 _‘None,’_ Itachi signed back. _‘I have nothing to do.’_

Once he would have been out on missions. Once he wanted to be a great shinobi. Once he would have run freely around Konoha.

Not anymore.

“What about your friends?” asked Mikoto. “Surely you must want to spend some time with them.”

 _‘Maybe,’_ Itachi signed back.

“Well, I’m going into town to see some of mine,” said Mikoto. “Then this afternoon, I’m training my girls. And then during this evening I’m going to be at book club with Naori, Hazuki, Ayako – oh! That reminds me. This evening. Apparently, they want you and Shisui to watch the…shark thing.”

His recollection of the previous day rushed back.

 _‘That is correct,’_ he signed back.

“Apparently they want you to watch it for three hours while everyone gets some dinner, then some others will watch it overnight,” replied Mikoto. She suddenly shuddered. “I’m glad you only have to be there for three hours. I wouldn’t like it if you were…well, let’s not dwell on it. It’s only for a week, after all.”

Itachi slowly chewed, and then placed the miso soup bowl back on the table so he could sign. _‘Shisui and I will be fine.’_

“I know, but you know that I worry,” said Mikoto, drifting over and gently stroked his silky black hair. “Shisui isn’t as strong as he once was.”

 _‘He is still Shisui,’_ Itachi signed.

“Of course,” agreed Mikoto.

Itachi sipped another spoonful of the soup, then nibbled some of the fish. He ate in silence, while Mikoto began to clear the kitchen. As soon as Itachi finished, he picked up his bowl and plates, and then gently nudged Mikoto aside so that he could finish the washing up instead.

“It’s all right-” Mikoto began, but Itachi shook his head. Once the washing was complete, and folded away, he dressed, and then went to sit down in the living room. The television buzzed half-heartedly with dull, mid-morning television. Itachi sighed to himself.

He watched Mikoto rub some face cream onto her skin in the hallway mirror, and then slip on her shoes. Of his parents, Itachi knew that he took after his father the most, although his features were certainly finer and delicate compared to Fugaku’s. It was Sasuke who resembled Mikoto the most.

After Mikoto called goodbye, he remembered that he had yet to tell Izumi of the meeting in the storeroom. Itachi climbed up and fetched his shoes. He didn’t bother with a jacket and slipped out the front door quietly. In the yard of the Compound, he glanced over at the storeroom. Rikuto was napping in a deck chair outside. Itachi shook his head.

He glanced over at Shisui’s house, and spotted Hiromasa trimming back the hedges by their front porch. There was no sign of Shisui or Ayako. Itachi hoped that Shisui wasn’t having a bad day and was instead merely resting before his and Itachi’s shift later that day.

He walked across the yard to Izumi’s house, and then knocked on the door politely. He waited for a few moments, until the door was opened by Hazuki.

Hazuki and Izumi lived together in one of the smaller houses in the Uchiha Compound. Hazuki’s husband had sacrificed his life to save that of his wife and child during the Nine Tails Attack on the village several years ago. At the time, both Izumi and Itachi were young children, and Sasuke was a baby, clutched in Itachi’s arms. Itachi still remembered squeezing his younger brother tightly, whilst screaming at Izumi to run, before grabbing her hand in his and pounding down the streets towards the first safe shelter.

“Itachi, how nice to see you,” greeted Hazuki.

 _‘I have come to see Izumi,’_ Itachi signed.

Hazuki instantly recognised the signs. Itachi noticed that it took her longer to decipher them than his mother would. But at least Hazuki still spoke to him like an adult, instead of a simple child. She opened the door wider, and stepped aside so that he could walk in. “Of course. She’s just through the dining room, out on the veranda.”

 _‘Thank you,’_ Itachi signed back. He bent down and removed his shoes by the door, before stepping inside.

“Can I get you anything? Some tea? Dango?” asked Hazuki.

Itachi nibbled his lip, unsure of whether or not to accept or decline.

On one hand, both tea and dango were his favourite things, but on the other hand, he didn’t want to look…well, silly.

“I know you want to say yes,” said Hazuki, with a sly smile.

Itachi nodded, conceding defeat. Hazuki laughed, and then headed into the kitchen, her long dark braid swaying behind her. Itachi made his way out through the house, passing through the living room. A large bookcase took over one wall, and on the main central wall, was a large map of the world. Hazuki had even marked some of the places that she’d visited, and highlighted places that she wanted to go. Around the map, were pictures of the places from her visits or that she had cut out of magazines, and little pieces of string linking each picture to each location with a pin.

He stopped, and for a while he stood, looking at the map. For some reason, Hazuki’s pictures of Kirigakure caught his eye the most this time, including a picture of a younger Hazuki clutching a newborn baby. The baby reached up and clutched the tip of Hazuki’s braid in their small, blue hand. But the picture was small, and Itachi had to squint to make out the details. And eventually, Itachi realised that he’d been standing looking for far too long and should probably greet Izumi before her mother served them tea.

He tore his gaze away from the scenes of the clinging mists over Kirigakure’s waters, before stepping out onto the veranda. Izumi was wrapped in an oversized purple cardigan that slipped over her shoulders and sat hunched over a heavy tome book. Her straight deep brown hair fell over the pages like a curtain. Itachi guessed it was one of the books that his father had given her the previous evening.

Unable to speak to warn her as he approached her from behind, Itachi reached out and tapped her shoulder with two long fingers.

“Oh my god!” shrieked Izumi, leaping upright. “You nearly gave me a heart attack!”

 _‘Sorry,’_ signed Itachi.

“It’s all right, I know you can’t exactly warn people…sit down, sit down,” Izumi gestured to the seat opposite her as she resettled in her seat. Itachi did as instructed, and then folded his legs up under himself on the seat. Izumi cleared aside the book, and then met his gaze. “How have you been?”

 _‘Not bad,’_ Itachi signed back. _‘And you?’_

“Well,” replied Izumi. “I’ve been reading the books your dad gave me…they’re really good. Will you thank him for me?”

 _‘Of course,’_ sighed Itachi.

“I managed to impress him, you know,” Izumi raised an eyebrow.

Itachi raised his eyebrow in response, then signed, _‘Tell me more?’_

“Yes, I did. He was rather impressed at how interested I was in the socioeconomic impact on civilians in creating the village system rather than the traditional clan system. It’s all good knowledge, I suppose, but looking at some of the comments in these footnotes? I am really starting to get the sense that Hashirama and Madara were gay lovers.”

 _‘You’ve only just realised?’_ signed Itachi.

“No, I thought it was just a rumour!” Izumi howled with laughter.

_‘Of course you did!’_

Izumi elbowed him. “Hey, do you fancy a sparring session sometime? My old teammates are driving me mad. One of them has got a boyfriend and is considering quitting being a shinobi to get married and be with him. She is so close to being promoted to jonin it’s frustrating. The other one is just terrified of me after I beat him to a pulp. I told him he needed to train more to keep up with me, but he didn’t listen.”

 _‘I think he deserved it,’_ Itachi signed.

“Exactly,” grinned Izumi, leaning back in her chair. “So how about it?”

There was still a friendly and close rapport between them. It was so easy to be with Izumi, just like how it was easy to be with Shisui and Sasuke. But before Itachi could reply, Hazuki re-emerged.

“Tea and dango,” she announced, laying the tray out on the table. There was a pot of tea, two cups with two saucers, a small jug of milk, a bowl of sugar and a small spoon, and then on the side, a plate full of tri-coloured dango.

It was Hazuki who had indirectly introduced Itachi to his favourite sweet. Hazuki loved the tri-coloured dango and often bought it for Izumi, who in turn offered it to Itachi during their days at the Academy and whilst training as a genin. And Itachi had loved it ever since. Mikoto and Fugaku often jokingly blamed Hazuki for their eldest son’s sweet tooth.

“Thanks mum,” beamed Izumi.

“Make sure you both brush your teeth tonight,” Hazuki squeezed Izumi’s shoulder, before stealing one of the dango sticks and turning back into the house, leaving them alone to talk.

“Because of how my team’s being, to try and make us ‘bond’ again, they’re only giving us easy D-rank and C-rank missions,” explained Izumi, as she poured tea into two cups for her and Itachi. “Like take care of the kids in the orphanage for the day, help an old granny find her cat, that kind of thing. Frustrating, but you can’t really say no to them. And in the end, they’re really grateful.”

Itachi spooned a teaspoon of sugar into his tea, and then swirled it around with the spoon. It had been so long since he’d picked up a kunai, and he was probably useless with it now. But supposing he did want to retrain, what was the harm in sparring with Izumi? She wouldn’t judge or laugh at him. As soon as he finished, he signed. _‘I will spar with you.’_

“Awesome,” grinned Izumi, pouring milk into hers and Itachi’s cup. Itachi reached for a dango stick, then nibbled at the first pink dumpling as he listened. “The sooner I’m a jonin the better. Hey…you, me, and Shisui would make a good team, don’t you think?”

Itachi placed the dango stick back down on the plate. _‘Shisui and I are no longer active shinobi.’_

Undeterred, Izumi carried on. “Well, how is he? I haven’t seen him out lately.”

 _‘I will see him tonight,’_ Itachi signed in response. Now was the time to explain what was going on. He glanced around, making sure that no other stray Uchiha were wandering round. He also knew that Izumi’s backyard was one of the blind spots of the hidden cameras where he could sign uninterrupted.

He quickly finished the dango stick, then wiped his fingers on a napkin, so that he was ready. Izumi seemed to know exactly what he was thinking. She picked up her cup of tea, and then leant her elbows on the table, taking a sip. “So. What was the big deal with the tank yesterday?”

 _‘Our uncles have captured someone,’_ Itachi signed. ‘ _The person is in the storeroom.’_

“Captured someone?” frowned Izumi. “Do we know them?”

 _‘No,’_ signed Itachi. _‘They say the person is a beast. But I disagree.’_

“How come?” asked Izumi.

 _‘I thought it was a man,’_ signed Itachi.

“A man?” repeated Izumi, blinking.

Itachi nodded.

“Why have they captured a man?” frowned Izumi.

 _‘I do not know,’_ Itachi signed back. _‘I shall watch him with Shisui tonight. They have asked us to keep watch in shifts.’_

Izumi opened her mouth to reply, but there was a loud shout and yell of pain. Itachi and Izumi exchanged a glance. Izumi activated her Sharingan. They both ran through the house, spinning past Hazuki, to stand on the front porch. They stared out across the Uchiha Compound. Emerging from the storeroom, Shou clutched at his hand, as blood blossomed against his yukata.

“Get him to Hazuki’s!” yelled Osamu, his portly face turned red. He scooped up Shou as he collapsed in pain, and then began to practically drag him down the pathway.

“Get inside,” instructed Hazuki, opening the door behind them. Itachi and Izumi slid back inside, and Hazuki shut the door. The shouts grew quieter, but then began to grow in volume again as Osamu and Shou came closer to the house.

“Is that the…?” Izumi trailed off.

Before long, Osamu hammered on the door. “Hazuki! Shou needs you!”

Hazuki gave both her daughter and Itachi a pointed, unimpressed look, before stepping forwards and opening the door. Izumi grabbed Itachi’s elbow and then pulled him behind the staircase, to watch the drama that unfurled uninterrupted. And, to minimise their interactions with their unpleasant clansmen.

“Yes?” asked Hazuki.

“His hand!” Osamu yelled, grabbing Shou’s bleeding arm and waving it in Hazuki’s face. “You need to sort out his hand!”

“Do I?” asked Hazuki.

Osamu calmed. “Please?”

Hazuki reached forwards, and lifted Shou’s arm to take a better look at it. “It’s a clean cut and a minor amputation. The bleeding needs to be stopped.”

“But what about the fingers?” demanded Osamu. “Can’t you do something about that?”

“I deliver babies. I don’t regrow fingers. I can stop the bleeding and bandage the wound, but his fingers are gone,” said Hazuki.

Shou groaned in pain.

“Fine! Just sort him out!” yelled Osamu.

Hazuki narrowed her eyes. “Shou, you better come in.”

Shou wandered in, holding his hand to his shirt. Hazuki slammed the door shut in Osamu’s face, then guided Shou into the dining room. He slumped in a dining chair.

“How dare he talk to my mum like that, the ungrateful fucking pig,” Izumi growled under her breath, from where she and Itachi watched behind the staircase. Itachi silently agreed with her sentiment.

“It bit me,” whimpered Shou, as Hazuki wiped a sterilising cloth down her dining table, then laid Shou’s arm out to treat. “It fucking bit me.”

“And what did you do to make it bite you?” asked Hazuki, her hands glowing green with chakra, reaching for him. Shou didn’t respond, but instead groaned with pain.

“I bet it serves him right,” muttered Izumi. She nudged Itachi. “You better go. Unless you want to get dragged into this mess?”

* * *

 

_Fugaku’s arms clutched him tightly, and he felt the thuds of his father’s urgent footsteps on the ground. Slick, sticky blood dripped from his neck down to his chest. A door swung open. Urgent voices. Bright light blared in his face. He felt himself lowered down and laid out on a firm surface. Hazuki loomed into view, her braid swinging over her shoulder, and then there was a flash, as her hands glowed green with chakra._

* * *

 

At five ‘o’ clock, Itachi knocked on the door of Shisui’s house.

Shisui answered, holding a cold compress to one side of his head. His eyepatch was wrapped around empty eye socket, and his hair was dishevelled, although it looked like he had tried brushing it through with his hands before Itachi’s arrival.

“You haven’t been feeling well all day, are you sure-” Ayako appeared behind him.

“Okaa-chan, I’m fine!” insisted Shisui. Itachi noticed by the small grimaces that flickered across his features that Shisui was not fine, and that the forceful words hurt him. “I’ve been in the house all day, I want some fresh air.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure,” Shisui insisted, picking up a pair of shoes with his free hand, and slipping them on. He lifted his remaining eye to meet Itachi’s gaze. “I want to have a catch-up with Itachi.”

“You must call me if you feel sick,” insisted Ayako, placing her hands on her hips firmly. “One of us will come and get you. And another one of us will keep watch on the…the thing.”

“I always feel sick, okaa-chan, it’s called chronic pain,” retorted Shisui. “Itachi will take care of me. Go on, go and have a bath and then go to your book club. Put your feet up for once and relax.”

“If you’re sure…”

“Yes, okaa-chan,” Shisui grumbled, as Ayako reached up and kissed his forehead. Disgruntled, he grabbed Itachi’s hand and dragged out the house and across the yard towards the storeroom. Once they were halfway, Shisui stopped and winced, pressing his cold compass to his head.

 _‘Are you ok?’_ Itachi tried to sign, but Shisui’s focus wasn’t on him. Shisui looked down at the ground, doubled over, with his remaining eye shut.

Instead, Itachi had to make do with attempting to make some of the squeaks and squawks that he had been left able to make.

“I’m fine. I just need a minute,” explained Shisui.

Comforted, Itachi relaxed, and held Shisui up as he recovered.

“Too much movement. It set off some nausea,” Shisui explained. “I’d been lying in a dark room all day unable to lift a fingertip without wanting to throw up. I thought I was going to have to cancel on you. I started to feel able to get up, but okaa-chan thought differently.”

Itachi offered his arm to support Shisui across the rest of the yard.

“Thanks,” Shisui accepted it, and allowed Itachi to guide him the rest of the way.

As soon as they reached the storeroom, they found Rikuto sleeping in a deckchair outside. Itachi released Shisui, bent down and picked up a stray leaf that he tickled under Rikuto’s nose. Shisui laughed softly, keeping his head still.

Rikuto jerked awake with a start.

“Good afternoon,” said Shisui.

“Hello boys,” said Rikuto, immediately straightening up. He drew himself to his full height, and looked down at Itachi and Shisui, in a stance that Itachi thought Rikuto hoped would be intimidating. “It’s pretty self-explanatory what we want you to do. You go in, you sit there while we have dinner, you get out when we come back.”

Itachi listened silently. Shisui didn’t reply, too busy concentrating on holding the cold compress to his head. Rikuto looked almost uneased.

“Is that clear?” demanded Rikuto.

Itachi nodded.

“Good,” said Rikuto. “I’m starving.”

Itachi pushed open the door and beckoned to Shisui to follow. Shisui stepped in, visibly comforted by the darkness of the storeroom. However, he noticed his cousin shudder slightly once the door closed and the fresh air was cut off. The air in the storeroom had become humid, as his uncles had set up a giant tank for the captive to swim in. Stairs led up to the top of the tank where they could reach in and get the captive out. But in the murky water, there was no sign of him.

“There you are.” Kenji and Youta, two of their clansmen who were similarly aged to Itachi and Shisui, emerged from the other side of the tank. “I was getting hungry.”

“You can eat now,” said Shisui. He glanced around the room quickly. “Is there anywhere to sit?”

“I thought you were getting better,” said Youta.

“Beg your pardon?” asked Shisui.

“You were walking around fine yesterday,” shrugged Youta.

“I was having a good day,” replied Shisui. “Is there anything I can sit on?”

“One of the boxes will do. Me and Youta have been sitting on them all day,” Kenji gestured to some of the boxes and barrels that littered the ground. They didn’t look comfortable.

Even as he listened to his cousins, Itachi’s eyes wandered to the tank, wondering if he’d see the captive.

“You shouldn’t have too much trouble from it,” explained Kenji. “It’s been asleep most the day. We had to hit it to wake it up.”

“Hit it?” frowned Shisui. Lines crinkled around his eyepatch.

“Yeah, we hit the side of the tank. We chased it around the water, it went mental at us, pounding on the glass and hissing,” shrugged Kenji.

Itachi stared at his cousin, with disgust. Keeping his face blank and neutral, he signed, _‘That is horrible.’_

“It’s an animal,” stated Youta.

“That doesn’t mean you can torture it,” scolded Shisui. “Go on now, go. Itachi and I are fine.”

Youta and Kenji left. Shisui shook his head, and then winced.

 _‘You ok?’_ signed Itachi.

“I’m fine,” said Shisui, trying to stay as still as possible. His remaining eye met Itachi’s. “Would you…mind if I just laid down for a bit?”

 _‘Go for it,’_ Itachi signed back. Itachi turned to clear a spot against the wall where his cousin could sit, but then stopped. Two yellow digits lay in the corner of the floor. Curiously, Itachi bent down, and picked up the first one for a closer look.

It was a finger.

Itachi grimaced, but then turned his back so that Shisui wouldn’t see it. After everything that Shisui had suffered, the last thing he needed to see were dismembered body parts.

“What’s that?” asked Shisui.

Itachi couldn’t reply, his hands were busy clutching the fingers and turning his body away from Shisui.

It was too late. Shisui stepped round and looked.

“Oh. Ew. It’s a finger,” he shuddered.

Itachi pulled a tissue out of his pocket and wrapped them up.

“I’m going to lie down somewhere else,” decided Shisui. Shisui found a spot in the corner of the storeroom and sat down wearily, his hands splayed out to try and keep his balance. He rested his back against the wall, before eventually sprawling out on the ground with the compress pressed against his head. Itachi watched as Shisui’s remaining eye closed, and he drifted into a doze.

Itachi opened the door of the storeroom and dumped tissue-wrapped fingers on Rikuto’s chair. If they went rotten and smelly from sitting in the sun, then Shou deserved it.

He slipped back inside, closing the door again. For a while, he stood in the half-gloom, simply watched Shisui’s shoulders rise and fall. At least Shisui was at peace, even if only while he slept. There was no knowing how he would feel once he woke up, and the humid air inside the storeroom probably wouldn’t help him.

Itachi couldn’t decide what he would prefer. No voice, or chronic pain and a missing eye.

Well, the choice hadn’t been made by them.

It was Danzo’s fault.

Danzo and the Aburame boy with his poisonous insects.

Itachi shook his head. There was no use dwelling on it. He already thought enough about it already. He replayed every scene, every single bloody second, over and over every single day whenever he had a spare moment. What could he have done differently? How could this have been prevented? What if he’d only just…

But he couldn’t allow himself to think like that. It was done now. There was no good on dwelling on the past. It was done.

This was his life now.

After what felt like ages, Itachi tore his gaze away from the sleeping Shisui and back to the tank. Curiosity was getting the better of him. He took a step forwards, wondering if he would see the man.

He didn’t chase around the tank, looking for the captive like his cousins had. He remained in one spot. He lifted a finger and gently tapped on the glass with the soft pad of his forefinger, peering through the green murky water curiously.

There was no movement.

Was the person in here at all?

Itachi tapped on the glass again.

Then there was that same hiss of hatred and a lunge towards the glass.

Itachi remained in one spot and stared back at the man inside.

He was tall, there was no doubt about that. He was taller than Itachi, taller than Fugaku, at a height Itachi estimated to be about six foot and four inches. His skin was an unusual turquoise blue; Itachi had never seen anything like it. It was different, and strange, but it was beautiful too. Itachi almost wanted to run his hands along the surface, admiring the unusual sheen. There were gills on his shoulders and under his eyes, releasing bubbles of air to the surface of the water. His dark navy hair billowed, but Itachi noticed that it tended to stick up in one spike, like a shark fin. Itachi wondered what it would feel like if he was to run his fingers through it, if it would be stubborn and spiky like Sasuke’s, or as soft as it looked flowing in the water.

Itachi waited for the man to swim away, having made his aggressive stance clear. But the man stared back at him with fierce pale olive eyes, almost as if to ask Itachi, ‘Why aren’t you scared?’

Itachi lifted his hands, even as they trembled. He forced them to be as still as possible so he could sign.

 _‘Hello,’_ he signed. He wasn’t sure if the man could understand him. And so he signed again, moving his lips so that the man could try and lip read. _‘Hello.’_

The man stared at him.

And then he turned and swam back into the depths of the tank.

Itachi exhaled deeply. At least the man had not hissed, as he had done yesterday. He turned to realise that Shisui was still asleep throughout the whole exchange, curled on his side. For that, he was relieved, not wanting to share this small, but strange, moment of connection with the man. Itachi exhaled deeply again, but then heard a tapping behind him.

He turned back around.

The man was back. He was tapping for Itachi’s attention this time.

Wide blue fingers with the nails painted black splayed as they imitated Itachi’s sign. _‘Hello.’_

Itachi couldn’t help but allow the corners of his mouth to tug upwards slightly. He signed hello back, and then took a step forwards.

 _‘Me,’_ he signed, gesturing to himself, before he began to spell out his name. _‘I…T…A…C…H…I.’_

The man watched him, and then pointed back to Itachi.

Itachi nodded.

 _‘I…T…A…C…H…I,’_ the man copied each of Itachi’s sign.

Itachi nodded again eagerly. _‘Me,’_ he signed again.

The corners of his mouth started to tug further upwards, but Itachi quickly stopped them. He stared in at the man for a few moments, wondering what on earth to say or do next. Almost experimentally, he took a step further towards the tank, so that his nose brushed against the glass pane, and gently rested his palms against the pane. The man inside swam closer and placed his palms against Itachi’s. His hands were huge, dwarfing Itachi’s. Itachi had always thought his fingers were long, but compared to the shark man’s, they looked petite. His eyes flickered up from their almost touching hands, to the man’s face, where he noticed that the man was watching him just as curiously as Itachi was watching him.

Their eyes locked onto one another’s.

Itachi blinked shyly. Maybe he could start teaching the man the signing alphabet, and then they could talk properly. But then that would involve taking a step backwards to give himself some movement room, and Itachi didn’t want to do that. He didn’t want to step out of this magical moment, at all.

A loud unwelcome rattling at the door pierced through the moment.

Shisui awoke with a jolt. His remaining eye snapped open, and he stared at the sight of Itachi and the shark man staring at each other.

“Holy shit…” he whispered.

Behind him, the shark man swam away, disappearing into the depths of water. Immediately, Itachi felt a stab of disappointment.

The door clanged open.

“Hello, boys,” greeted Osamu. “Dinner’s finished. You go back to your houses and rest.”

“Yes,” nodded Shisui. “Thank you.”

Itachi bent to help him up. Shisui clung to Itachi’s arm, and ascended upright slowly. Itachi bore his weight gently, and then began to lead his cousin out of the room.

Osamu tutted, and shook his head. “A pity…”

Itachi turned, giving him a hard stare.

“It’s not worth it,” muttered Shisui under his breath. “We’ll egg his house later, like we used to when we were kids.”

Itachi returned a sly grin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading, and i hope to hear your thoughts!


	5. A Name

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Itachi takes his second watch of the 'shark-man,' and introduces him to Izumi. They manage to discover some fresh information regarding the captive's identity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sooo, could it be love at first sight?!
> 
> also...there's some blink and you'll miss it smut when Itachi takes a bath this time. i blushed and giggled so hard while I was writing it XD
> 
> my hc here is that Mikoto trains the Uchiha girls in self-defence, so that they can protect themselves and their non-Uchiha friends from any Uchiha men (or men who've stolen the Sharingan like Danzo etc) who want to use the Sharingan on them...inappropriately, shall we say. we also find out what actually happened to Danzo in this au!

He and Shisui hadn’t egged Osamu’s house. As soon as they were away from the storeroom, Shisui had had to lean on Itachi for support. Because of that, Itachi had taken Shisui straight home, and laid him back down on his bed. He’d taken off Shisui’s sandals for him, adjusted his pillows, then applied a fresh cold compress to his head. Ayako hovered in the background, as always, and at first Shisui had grumbled and complained at her attention, but as Itachi was leaving and Ayako bent over to adjust his pillows a second time, Itachi caught him whisper to her, and it was very much the whisper of a child.

“How much longer will this go on?”

It unsettled him, that his cousin, who had once been a powerful, talented and active shinobi with a high pain tolerance, was now reduced to whimpering like a kid at his mother. _Fuck Danzo. Fuck Sugaru._ That night, when he helped himself to the plate that Mikoto had left on the side for him, he simply settled for pushing his food around his plate. But then that led him back to thinking about the man in the tank, and whether he was hungry.

Ensuring that Mikoto and the rest of his family were occupied in the living room, Itachi tipped a bowl of rice into a disposable bag, and then some cabbage into another, and stashed them at the back of the fridge, behind some jam jars and preservatives that were rarely used.

That evening, Itachi ran himself a hot bath, before stirring in a small amount of cold. He slipped into the water, but as it lapped over his ankles and then his calves, knees and thighs, he began to think about the man in the tank.

He wasn’t an animal, or just a fish.

On that, Itachi was certain.

He thought about the muscles he’d seen on the man. He had to be strong. Itachi was momentarily confused as to how his uncles had even managed to capture him. Rikuto was of average height and strength, Shou was thin and stringy, Osamu was stocky, and the strongest of the three, but Itachi highly doubted that Osamu alone could have subdued the man. All three of them had good strong Sharingans, but not as notable or as strong as Fugaku’s, or Itachi’s, or how Shisui’s used to be. How they must have managed it remained a mystery.

Itachi supposed that by working as a team was how they stood a chance. And they must have fought unfairly, pulled out some dirty tricks, used some jutsus that the man hadn’t seen before and then taken him by surprise. That was the only logical conclusion that Itachi could draw.

The thoughts began to whirl around Itachi’s head, and so he sunk lower down in the water, completely submerging his head below the surface. Tendrils of silky black hair floated above his face, so when he opened his eyes in the blurry water, the world above was stripy. But as deep into the water as he sunk, the thoughts about the shark man simply wouldn’t go away. They were inescapable.

One hand that had settled on his chest whilst under water drifted lower, past his belly button, weaving through the fine dark hair between his legs. Taking hold of himself firmly, he began to move his hand back and forth, back and forth, lulling into a steady rhythm until he was complete. 

* * *

“They want you to watch the shark man this evening, Itachi,” said Fugaku, as he tied his yukata around himself on his way out.

_‘With Shisui?’_ signed Itachi.

Fugaku frowned as he concentrated on the signs. “No. I don’t think so. I saw Ayako out buying breakfast this morning, she said that he had a rough night. Perhaps Izumi could accompany you?”

Itachi inwardly sighed with relief that he had not instead been lumbered with one of his untrustworthy cousins. Youta and Kenji came to mind. Izumi’s compassionate nature would make her the perfect accomplice for what he had planned.

As Fugaku, Mikoto and Sasuke left the house to go about their daily business, Itachi turned to what he had been tasked with for the day. After washing up and putting away all the breakfast things, emptying all the household bins, sweeping the veranda around the house of stray leaves, he ventured into the garden in front of the veranda. He pulled away the weeds that had threatened to overtake the path to the house, tossing them into a heaped pile by the stairs of the veranda. Once a thin layer of sweat glossed his brow, he glanced across the Compound, to a spare clearing of grass where several of the younger girls in the clan were being trained by his mother.

Mikoto wore her old jonin uniform, and her long dark hair was tied up in a bun. As she stood watching the group of girls training, Itachi noticed a small aura of pride radiate from her as she looked on at them all. He too felt a similar twinge of pride, simply for the privilege of calling himself Mikoto’s son.

“That’s it, you’re doing great!” he heard his mother cheer, clapping her hands together as one of the girls safely disarmed and managed to free herself from Izumi, who had taken on the role of an assailant for the activity. “No man will ever stand a chance against you!”

“Thanks Mikoto-sama!” beamed the younger girl. Itachi watched as Izumi picked herself up and ruffled the younger girl’s hair proudly. The younger girl turned to gaze up to Mikoto. “One day, I’m going to make it to jonin, like you did and like Izumi-senpai will someday, and I’m going to kill bad men like Danzo Shimura, just like you did!”

* * *

At five ‘o’ clock, when the shark man had been with them for forty-eight hours, Itachi made his way out of his house, across the Compound, and knocked on Izumi’s door. Almost immediately, Izumi practically shot out of the door, whizzing past him eagerly. Itachi had to remember that she hadn’t seen the man yet.

“Okaa-san gave us some snacks for while we watch the captive, and then told me to be careful. She told me Shou, Rikuto and Osamu were idiots. I don’t think she wanted me to be involved if they mess up,” Izumi showed him the package that Hazuki had wrapped for her. Itachi immediately recognised the familiar shape of the tri-coloured dango that Hazuki loved outlined by the brown paper.

He and Izumi made their way to the storage room, where Rikuto lay back in his deck chair, sleeping in the sun. Itachi turned to look at Izumi, and raised his eyebrow. He bent down, picked up a leaf, which he duly tickled under Rikuto’s nose.

Izumi held back chortles of laughter.

Rikuto jolted awake.

“Oh, it’s you,” he grunted. “Go straight in.”

Itachi guided Izumi inside. They both blinked, adjusting to the darker atmosphere.

“Good evening,” greeted Hiromasa. He had been sitting on the floor, clutching at a newspaper. His brother, Chikao, sat beside him flicking through a book. Itachi sighed inwardly of relief, that two of the more pleasant members of his clan had kept watch over the shark man today. Hiromasa turned to Izumi, and smiled gently, the lines either side of his eyes crinkling slightly. “Thanks for doing this. I really didn’t think Shisui would be up to it. I know how your mother feels-”

“It’s no problem, oji-san,” replied Izumi. “I wanted to come and see…see the, erm…captive.”

Itachi watched her eyes flicker over towards the murky tank with curiosity.

“Well, we best be off,” said Hiromasa. He climbed up, folding his newspaper up. “Let’s go, nii-san.”

Chikao closed his book, and climbed up to follow his brother. He smiled at both Izumi and Itachi. “Don’t get too bored, you two.”

“Of course not, oji-san,” said Izumi.

“Let’s go and see how Ayako and Shisui are,” Hiromasa bowed out of the room, with Chikao following. The door closed behind them, and Itachi heard the brothers talking to Rikuto. Once their voices faded and he was certain that they were alone, he approached the tank.

“What are you doing?” Izumi whispered.

Itachi turned around to face her. _‘Watch this,’_ he signed. He turned back around, and leaned forward, tapping on the tank lightly with the tip of his finger. The small light taps echoed around the room. With heavy, audible breaths, Itachi waited for the man to emerge.

But the water remained still, only gently lapping against the glass pane as he tapped. Itachi narrowed his eyes, peering into the water and looking for any signs of movement.

“I don’t see anything,” said Izumi.

Itachi tapped again and waited.

What he heard was the sudden rush of suctioned water, and then the clanging of chains. Itachi took a few steps back, and then looked up, to remember that there was a series of stairs leading up to the open enclosure of the tank.

Immediately, without even thinking, he ran up, to find the shark man treading water and staring at him, his torso above the water. A heavy collar wrapped around his neck prevented him from climbing out of the enclosure, but there was nothing to stop him from peering over the edge to face Itachi.

Itachi’s heartbeat hammered. But he lifted his hands steadily and signed. _‘Hello.’_

The shark man lifted his arms too. Itachi imagined he must have immense leg strength to keep treading water like that to free the use of his arms.

_‘Hello,’_ the shark man signed back. _‘I…T…A…C…H…I.”_

“He knows your name?” gaped Izumi, from where she remained at the bottom of the stairs.

But her voice seemed very distant. He remembered, thought Itachi, and that was all that he could think of. His heart hammered in his chest, and he felt the blood drum through his veins. With what, he couldn’t decide, but all he could think about was what he intended to do in the first place. He slipped a hand in his pocket and found the leftovers he brought. Taking slow and steady steps, he walked towards the shark man until he stood at the edge of the tank, closer than he’d ever been before. He held out the bags, holding them upright to the man’s eye, and took another step forward. He knew he was about to push the boundaries, but if he succeeded, then…

The shark man suddenly hissed and recoiled, sinking under the water again so that only his eyes and tuft of hair remained visible.

Itachi took a rapid step back, lowered his gaze, and lifted his hands slowly and gently in a show of good faith. He bent down, and focused on emptying out the bag of rice, and then the bag of cabbage, on the side of the tank.

_‘Rice,’_ he signed above the rice, before moving his hands over the cabbage to sign, _‘cabbage.’_

He shuffled back carefully, avoiding the edge of the stairs, and to give the man some space as a sign of respect.

Satisfied that Itachi would not harm him, the shark man swam closer, and inspected the food that Itachi had laid out for him. His nose wrinkled. Itachi supposed that, as much as he liked cabbage, it probably wasn’t what a man who seemed to be part shark would want to eat. He had had little opportunity to prepare any alternatives, but now he made a mental note to try and find someone else for the man.

Eventually, hunger gave in, and the man scooped up a handful of rice between thick fingers tipped with black nail polish, and began to eat.

“Wow,” murmured Izumi, slowly ascending the stairs to join Itachi. “I guess he was hungry.”

The shark man shovelled another handful of rice into his mouth, revealing sharp, pointed teeth. His jaw chewed noisily and eagerly as he ate.

Izumi turned to look up at Itachi, her large dark eyes wide, framed by long lashes and the familiar beauty mark below her left eye. “Do you think they haven’t been feeding him?”

_‘Yes,’_ Itachi signed, and then watched as the man chewed on the strips of cabbage that Itachi brought. His expression had changed, from that of eager hunger to one of slight disappointment but determined necessity to gain some sustenance.

Behind him, a hard line appeared between Izumi’s brows. She slipped a hand in the bag of dango that Hazuki had given her, and then pulled one free. She offered it to Itachi. “Perhaps he might prefer something sweet?”

Itachi carefully approached the side of the tank, and faced the man again. He laid the stick of dango beside the cabbage. _‘Dango,’_ he signed, above the little sweet dumplings.

The man put down the strip of cabbage, letting it float on the top of the water, and then copied. _‘Dango.’_

Itachi smiled as the man reached over, took the little stick, and then tore into the first pink dumpling with his sharp teeth.

“I think he likes it,” Izumi nudged Itachi. “What’s his name?”

_‘I don’t know yet,’_ replied Itachi, but thoughts had already consumed him, of how he would teach the man the alphabet in sign language, so that he could spell his name. As soon as he noticed the man had finished the first stick, Itachi slipped his hand back in the bag, and then held out another one.

The man hissed at Itachi’s outstretched hand, and then dove back into the water. Disappointment settled over Itachi.

“If they’ve been starving him, maybe he’s wary,” suggested Izumi. “Maybe he's worried this is a trick, that you’re taunting him. Take it slow. Like you’ve been doing. Let’s just leave some out for him while we sit here. Maybe he’ll join us.”

Itachi and Izumi sat facing one another at the edge of the tank, with the dango laid on the side for the man to approach if he wished.

“Why have they captured him?” asked Izumi.

_‘Studying,’_ signed Itachi.

“Studying a human?” frowned Izumi.

Itachi shrugged, to show that he knew as little as he did.

“I always thought our clan was a bit fucked up,” Izumi stated bluntly, before meeting Itachi’s eye. “No offense or anything, I know you’re the heir and what a difficult position you're in right now.”

_‘None taken,’_ Itachi signed back. He and Shisui had thought the same thing for quite some time now.

“Okaa-san always said along the same lines,” said Izumi. “But this is wrong. Plain and simple.”

_‘I know,’_ Itachi signed back. He did know. As his thoughts turned back to the rebellious Hazuki, who against her father's wishes, ran off to marry a non-Uchiha, he allowed his eyes to slid sideways. He noticed the navy spike of hair emerged from the water, then the tips of the ears, and olive eyes.

“I wonder if he’d like some sushi?” asked Izumi.

_‘I will bring some tomorrow,’_ signed Itachi. A blue hand slithered out of the water and took the stick of dango. Immediately, Itachi replaced it with another, that was almost immediately taken.

He and Izumi shared a smile.

“It’s ok, you know,” said Izumi gently, staring at the bubbles of water where the man disappeared and re-emerged. “You can come up. We won’t hurt you.”

The navy spike of hair re-emerged, and then the olive eyes blinked.

Itachi gestured to Izumi, and then began to spell out Izumi’s name. Both of their names began and ended with an I, and they had a similar number of letters between, so Itachi hoped that the man wouldn’t become too confused.

The man emerged completely, so that they could see his upper body. Itachi noticed Izumi draw back a little, seemingly wary. But she quickly composed herself and allowed Itachi to introduce her. The man’s hands signed out Izumi’s name, and then he gestured to her.

“That’s right,” Izumi nodded.

Taking it as his cue, Itachi began to sign the alphabet. _‘A…B…C…’_ he began, mouthing the letters, until he reached K. The man nodded excitedly. Itachi signed it again, and the man continued to stare hopefully at him.

“I think he might be trying to tell us that his name begins with K,” Izumi muttered.

Itachi pulled out a pen, and then quickly scrawled a K on the paper bag that had held the dango. He turned to the man, and began to repeat the alphabet again. This time the man nodded when Itachi reached I.

“K…I…” Izumi read out.

_‘…S…’_ Itachi has reached S, when the man nodded.

_‘A…’_ he began again, when the man nodded.

_‘…M…’_ Itachi reached M, and then man nodded. As Itachi reached E, the man nodded again. Itachi wrote it down. He lifted his hands, to begin signing again, but the man shook his head. Itachi glanced back down at the paper, at the name he had written out.

Kisame.

That was his name?

Itachi glanced back up to the man, and gestured, signing _‘you?’_

The man, or rather, Kisame, nodded.

“Good work, Itachi,” Izumi reached over and squeezed Itachi’s shoulder.

But Itachi wasn’t done. There was something else he had to do. He signed _‘Hello’_ and then spelled out Kisame’s name completely in sign.

Kisame signed hello back, and then Itachi’s name.

Now they knew who they were.

Itachi felt his heart swelling, constricting against his chest. It was a feeling that he hadn’t felt in such a long time, that at first it felt completely foreign. His dark eyes met Kisame’s, and he felt a strange connection flow between the two.

His joy was cut short when the door to the storeroom rattled. Izumi gasped and startled, and Itachi held her still.

“Time’s up,” grunted Shou, emerging into the gloom. He did a double take at Itachi and Izumi sitting up beside the top of the tank. “What the hell are you kids doing?! That thing is dangerous!”

“We’re not kids,” Izumi argued back. “And it’s a he!”

“Whatever, brat,” Shou shook his head. He lifted his bandaged hand. “Go on, get out, the pair of you. You should go back to that haughty mother of yours…who refused to reattach my fingers when we finally found them on Rikuto's deck chair!”

“They’re contaminated,” retorted Izumi. “And they’ve been removed for over twelve hours. You can’t reattach them now. It’s too late.”

Shou scoffed angrily. Itachi gripped Izumi’s wrist to stop her from launching herself at their uncle. He reluctantly gave Kisame one last look before leading Izumi down the steps and out of the storeroom.

“How dare he!” demanded Izumi, as soon as they were out of the storeroom. Itachi reached over and laid a finger across her lips. He lowered himself to the ground, and scooped up a handful of dirt. Izumi immediately understood his intentions, and then scooped up a matching handful. Together, they slipped into the shadows of the Uchiha homes, heading towards where Shou lived.

Shou lived alone, having never married or had children. Itachi wasn’t even surprised. If he was an Uchiha girl, or any girl for that matter, he wouldn’t marry Shou, not even if the rest of the Uchihas paid him.

Outside, and guiding Izumi into a blind spot of the cameras, Itachi hurled the first handful of mud at the windows, whilst Izumi hurled the second. They landed with an impressive thud against the window, and the dirt splattered across the glass panes, and down the painted white walls. Izumi hurled another, until all of the windows were covered in grimy filth. Shou would have a hard time cleaning it off on his own, especially considering his hand injury.

They both grinned at one another, satisfied, and then clutched hands as they raced back through the Uchiha Compound towards their respective homes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading, and i would love to hear your thoughts!
> 
> as an aside, I've developed lots of hcs regarding the Uchiha women, i don't know if i'm going to get the opportunity to portray all of them in this au, as it's focussed on Kisaita. Would anyone perhaps be interested if i did a post on my Tumblr sometime about them? Kind of like when I did Woman Crush Wednesday before it became Konan Love Wednesday?


	6. Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Itachi begins to settle into a new routine, of keeping watch of Kisame, but also begins plans to end his new friend's captivity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> once again, i'm blown away and touched by the lovely comments on this fic! they make me so happy!
> 
> i feel like this is a bit of a filler chapter, but nonetheless it reveals some more information.
> 
> I've decided that Ayako, Shisui's mom, has a summons...of cats XD
> 
> and oooh...keep your eyes peeled and see if you can spot Konan! <3

That evening, Itachi opened the cupboards of his parent’s kitchen, and began to raid it for things that he thought a shark might eat. He selected some salmon, tuna, shrimp, crap, taking small portions of each so that neither Mikoto or Fugaku would notice anything missing.

He glanced down pitifully at the bag he was currently filling. This wasn’t nearly enough to satiate the hunger of a large man like Kisame. There ought to be more. Kisame deserved better.

Itachi grabbed his personal supply of dango that he hid from his family in a box of tea with a concealed bottom. Kisame had seemed to like it when he and Izumi had offered it to him the previous day.

He hid the bag of fish behind the rarely used jars of jam and preservatives in the fridge, then snuck the dango sticks back up to his room, concealed under his shirt. It wasn’t the best disguise, but it would do. It would at the very least conceal it from Mikoto’s eye if she glanced sideways out of the living room from where she was currently talking Sasuke through his homework, or Fugaku’s if he opened his study door unexpectedly.

When safely hidden in his room, Itachi slipped the little stash under his bed, behind the stack of books he had browsed through during his recovery.

As he usually did every evening, he ran a hot bath, and clamoured in. This time, as he reclined back and let the water lull over him, he thought more about the way that Kisame had looked at him earlier that day and the way it had made him feel. Happy. He felt happy. And when their eyes met, he felt connected. It was like there was a level of mutual respect or understanding between them both.

And try as he might, he simply couldn’t stop thinking about Kisame.

The feelings confused him, and so Itachi tried to shake them away by concentrating on rubbing shampoo into his hair rigorously, massaging away the dirt and impunities of the day. But it was no good. Once he’d applied conditioner throughout the length of his long hair, he allowed himself to slip down in the water, resting his head back on the edge of the bath, splayed his legs with his feet pressed against the sides of the bath, his hand wandering towards the fine dark hair between his legs.

When he had finished washing himself, he climbed out, and then looked in the mirror at his scars. Each day, as time passed, they became less and less of an angry red. He supposed that was a good thing, that they were healing. Hazuki had done a good job.

But it felt like it meant he was becoming locked in. Locked in his voiceless existence, and now there was no way out of it.

_Fuck Danzo._

Itachi shook his head, but it was too late to stop the distressing thoughts resurfacing.

* * *

_The silver flicker of the blade._

_The hot gush of blood before the pain._

_Watching the terrible scene reflected in Shisui’s horrified remaining eye._

_And seeing Shisui sink to the floor, convulsing in pain, terrible pain, although whether it was from the Aburame boy’s poison coursing through his veins or witnessing the cousin who was like a brother to him bleed out before his remaining eye..._

_Itachi didn’t know._

* * *

Itachi shook his head fiercely again.

It would never stop.

He towelled dried his body, and then wrapped himself in his pyjamas, wanting to feel warm and secure. He squeezed the water from his long black hair into the sink, and then rubbed it dry with the towel. When his hair was dry and combed free of knots, he clamoured under the covers, and then allowed his hand to fall down by the side of his bed, to touch the rations he’d hidden for Kisame.

Hope rose in his body again. When he was with Kisame, teaching him to say his name, learning his name, he hadn’t thought those thoughts. It was almost like they’d disappeared, and he could just be Itachi again.

Of course, there was no way that being around Kisame would make it all disappear in the long-term. What had happened, the thoughts and the flashbacks he lived with, would always be a part of his life. But it was an event in Itachi’s life, not the focus or the determining factor of what he did today, tomorrow, or ten years from now. Someday, he would understand that. He would never get over it, but he would get past it. This was a start. It was a beginning.

With that, Itachi fell asleep, comforted by the thought of the ocean, the sea, and a low concealing mist, protecting him from harm.

The following morning, he woke late, to discover that Sasuke had gone to train, and that both Mikoto and Fugaku were already out attending to their own businesses. Fugaku had left him a note, saying that he would be watching Kisame today, and that Itachi could come and watch during dinner time, like usual.

It felt weird to think of Kisame with a name. Fugaku hadn’t referred to Kisame by his name, he’d still called him ‘the shark man’ but now in Itachi’s mind, Kisame was Kisame. And it only confirmed what Itachi had known all along; that Kisame was not a beast, he was a man just like Itachi.

And that this captivity…was wrong.

But what could he do? Itachi knew that his position as heir was shaky. Most of the Uchihas thought he was too ‘broken’ to lead, that without being able to speak, he had no voice of authority over them. Others thought that he was too corrupted by the Will of Fire and the political ideology of the village. If he was honest, he could just about count on his hand the number of Uchiha who would support him in a leadership contest if Fugaku were to untimely pass or be deposed by the rest of the clan. His mother, most certainly, Sasuke, if he was allowed to vote, Shisui, most certainly, Ayako, most likely, Hiromasa, certainly, Chikao, most likely, Izumi, of course, Hazuki, if she wished to involve herself in clan politics. She might, for Itachi’s sake. But that was less than seven. Some of the other Uchiha might seek to claim power for themselves. It had happened before; Itachi had studied enough clan history as part of Fugaku’s rigorous training. Even if they did not, it was likely that some of the Uchiha would prefer that Sasuke be installed as a clan head rather than Itachi, and turn his brother against him. But Itachi knew that would only be so they could use the younger and less experienced Sasuke as a puppet figure whilst seizing power for themselves.

No, now was not the right time to speak out against the clan.

He had to bide his time as he formulated a plan.

And in the meanwhile, Itachi knew that what he could do for Kisame was to focus on the little things. Like taking Kisame food, and maybe making the hours that he spent with Itachi somewhat pleasant.  
And for that, Itachi had the perfect idea.

He ran into the living room, and began to raid the family collection of CDs, before picking up a small portable CD player. If either of his parents asked, then he’d tell them he wanted to listen to music while watching ‘the shark man.’

At five ‘o’ clock, Itachi collected the bag of snacks, the CD player, and then knocked on Shisui’s door.

Ayako answered the door. One of her cats, although whether it was one of her summons or one of the strays that she liked to take it, Itachi wasn’t certain.

 _‘Shisui?’_ signed Itachi, with difficulty as his arms clutched his collection.

“He’ll be a moment,” said Ayako. Her cat padded over, and entwinned itself around Itachi’s legs, purring. Itachi lifted the basket further up the crook of his arm, knowing that the cat probably wanted the salmon and other fish treats he’d hidden inside. Shisui appeared in the doorway, with another cat following him. Like usual, he wore his eye patch, but today, he did not hold a cold compress. Ayako turned to face her son. “Are you sure…?”

“Yes mum,” sighed Shisui patiently. “I missed out yesterday, but I’m fine now. Go and put your feet up.”

Ayako didn’t look convinced. Itachi felt the paws of the cat lightly tread against his leg. He glanced down, as the cat dug its claws in, trying to climb up his leg to reach the basket full of fish.

“Shoo!” Shisui commanded, when Itachi silently yelped. The cat released their paws, and then skulked away, staring at Shisui and Itachi with its large round eyes reproachfully. “Mum, it’s good for me to go out when I can and get some fresh air. Itachi will take care of me.”

“All right. But if you start feeling worse, you must call us!” insisted Ayako.

“Yes mum!” Shisui seized hold of Itachi’s arm, and they made their way over to the storeroom. “What on earth have you got in there, Itachi? Why were the cats all over you like that?”

 _‘You will see,’_ Itachi signed back.

Outside of the storeroom, Rikuto slept. Itachi picked up a leaf, and then tickled it under his nose. Rikuto jolted awake, and then gestured them inside.

Fugaku stood staring at the tank, his back to the door of the storeroom, his arms folded and legs apart. Even with Fugaku’s back to him, Itachi knew that Fugaku’s hard lines would have appeared beneath his lower lip, below his eyes, and between his brows. Shou stood on one side of the room, with his back to the tank, facing Fugaku, and they seemed to be engaged in a staring contest.

“So, you’ve learnt nothing,” stated Fugaku, as Itachi and Shisui wandered into the darkness to join them.

“Not strictly true…” Shou protested, waving his bandaged hand at Fugaku. “He has sharp teeth!”

“I knew this was a ridiculous waste of time,” Fugaku shook his head. His gaze flickered to Shou’s bandaged hand with the missing fingers, totally unimpressed. “A waste of time and unnecessary risk.”

“Not unnecessary!” stammered Shou.

“Unnecessary,” repeated Fugaku firmly and uncompromisingly. “And have you made plans to return the…shark-man back to the Hidden Mist?”

Itachi’s heart skipped a beat. Shou remained silent, barely able to meet Fugaku’s eyes or begin some kind of excuse.

Fugaku boiled with rage. “You might not have kids, you fool, but most of the clan do, and we want them to be safe!”

"Fugaku...Fugaku-sama, you have no idea how hard it was to capture that thing, returning it to the wild will be even harder!" protested Shou. "What if it comes back for revenge?"

"Serve you right!" scolded Fugaku.

Shou shuddered. Itachi reached forwards and tugged Fugaku’s sleeve.

“There you are,” said Fugaku crossly, although Itachi could tell that Fugaku was simply cross in general, rather than specifically at Itachi. He glanced over at the basket Itachi clutched and at the CD player and collection of CDs. “Why have you got all that?”

“In case we get bored,” replied Shisui helpfully.

“Very well,” said Fugaku. “You both know what you're doing, so I’ll leave you both to it.”

Fugaku turned to Shou, and then raised his eyebrows, dismissing him from the room. Just as Shou began to crawl out, Fugaku spoke again. "You better sort this mess out, Shou. I will not have the repercussions of this hit my family. I have been fair to you, and honoured my side of the deal. Remember that."

Shou nodded, then scampered out, collecting Rikuto from his deck chair. Fugaku signed heavily, before resting a hand on Shisui’s shoulder, giving him a slight squeeze, and then doing the same to Itachi with his other hand.

“I’m grateful to you boys for this, you know,” he stated, glancing back and forth at both of them, holding them both together, almost in an embrace. “I know how difficult it is for you both right now.”

“Thank you, oji-san,” said Shisui.

Itachi couldn’t move his hands to sign, and knew that even if he could, Fugaku likely wouldn’t understand his words, so he settled for meeting his father’s gaze instead.

Once Fugaku left, Shisui settled down in the same spot that Hiromasa had sat in the previous day. He rubbed his forehead, and then stretched his limbs, arranging them to be as comfortable as possible.

“How was Izumi when she saw the shark guy?” asked Shisui.

Itachi put down the CD player, CDs and snacks on the floor to free his hands.

 _‘Fine,’_ he signed. Then he decided that since only Shisui was here and everyone else had left them alone, he could be honest with him. _‘We learnt his name.’_

“His name?” asked Shisui.

 _‘Kisame,’_ signed Itachi. _‘Please call him Kisame.’_

“Kisame,” repeated Shisui.

Itachi turned away from his cousin, to face Kisame’s enclosure. He gathered up the CD player, CDs, and the snacks, before climbing the stairs to the top of the tank.

“What are you doing?” asked Shisui.

Itachi didn’t answer, and instead set the CD player down at the top of the tank. He reached for the snacks, and then laid out the separate piles of salmon, tuna, shrimp, crab, and then finally, a pile of the dango.

He sat a few steps back from the top of the tank, so that Kisame would feel comfortable to come to the top of the tank and help himself whenever he was ready.

And it worked. Almost as soon as Itachi sat down, the blue tuft of hair emerged. Itachi smiled, as blinking eyes appeared, and then a hand reached over and grabbed one of the dango sticks. He pulled it below the water, and Itachi heard him chewing.

“You’re crazy!” Shisui shook his head.

Kisame emerged fully from the water, and then looked at the rest of what Itachi brought him today. Itachi leant forwards slowly, and made the sign for salmon above the salmon. Kisame copied, and then grabbed a slice. He chewed rapidly in his clumsy way, sharp teeth clicking. Itachi smiled indulgently, and then signed tuna above the tuna. Eventually he reached the shrimp and crab, and Kisame’s eyes went wide.

They must be his favourites, thought Itachi.

Kisame sat closer to the edge, and then began to help himself to the rest of the fish laid out. This time he didn’t even recoil away from Itachi when Itachi turned to face him and helped himself to a dango stick. They simply ate side by side, as two companions. When Kisame had nearly finished, Itachi held out two of the CDs. Kisame blinked, so Itachi pointed to each of them, and looked at Kisame to choose. When Itachi’s finger rested on his favourite CD, Kisame nodded. Itachi smiled to himself, wondering how on earth Kisame could have known that it was his favourite, or if they had the same taste in music.

He slipped the CD inside and as the music began, Itachi made another sign, this one for _‘music.’_ Kisame copied, and then leant his chin on the side of the tank thoughtfully as the first chorus began. They listened to the first three tracks in thoughtful, companionable silence. Itachi gently swayed to the music, whilst Kisame tapped his fingers against the side of the tank. Every now and then, their eyes met.

“It’s almost like you’ve bonded with him,” Shisui stated.

Itachi gestured for Shisui to join them. Shisui climbed to his feet wearily, then made his way up the stairs towards Itachi and Kisame. As he approached, Itachi made the sign for _‘friend,’_ and then _‘best friend,’_ before pointing to Shisui, and spelling out Shisui’s name. Treading water with his legs, Kisame copied each sign, making Itachi laugh softly, small squeaks and squawks bubbling in his throat. Maybe tomorrow he would bring a family picture and explain to Kisame the different family relationships. He particularly wanted to tell Kisame about Sasuke, and how much his little brother meant to him.

Eventually Kisame signed _‘hello Shisui,’_ as he had the previous day for Izumi.

“Hey Kisame,” said Shisui gently, so as not to startle him. The CD they had been listening to finished, and so Itachi swapped the CD to a different. Kisame swam closer to the edge, and reached out, pointing at Shisui’s eye.

“It’s ok, I just had an accident,” Shisui covered it with his palm and turned away. Kisame tilted his head curiously, as Shisui massaged his temples. “And I get headaches sometimes, and joint pain. But it’s ok, I can deal with it.”

Kisame’s hand lifted further out, this time reaching for Shisui’s head.

“Don’t worry about me, you have some food,” instructed Shisui, tapping the side of the tank where Itachi had tipped out some more dango.

Kisame’s hand slunk back underwater, almost disappointedly. He trod the water, staring at the eye patch. Itachi noticed that Kisame looked determined, that he almost wanted to help.

 _‘Poison,’_ Itachi signed, to explain. _‘He was poisoned.’_

Kisame frowned, concentrating hard. He laid his hands on the side of the tank, where Itachi had laid out the food. Itachi reached forwards, resting his hands beside Kisame’s. Kisame moved his hands slightly, so that their fingertips brushed briefly. Itachi’s breath hitched, at their first ever skin to skin contact.

“Hey, what the-” Youta burst in, and stared. Kisame rapidly disappeared under the water, and Itachi stared after him longingly. Shisui quickly shoved the remaining dango in his mouth.

“What?” Shisui chewed loudly.

“That…that thing…” Youta pointed. “It was standing up! You were touching it!”

“Quit lying,” scolded Shisui, his mouth still full. “We’re just having something to eat up here and listening to some music.”

He and Itachi picked up their stuff, shutting off the music, as Tekka and Inabi arrived to take the nightly watch. They headed outside, back out into the compound. Dusk had fallen, and with it, taken the warmth of the day. Both Itachi and Shisui shuddered, and the two walked quickly back to their homes.

As they passed a series of trees, there was a visible and audible rustle. It was too strong to be merely an early summertime evening breeze. Itachi tugged Shisui’s sleeve.

Shisui turned to face Itachi. “What is it?”

Itachi pointed in the direction that he had heard the noise coming from.

They both stared, but saw nothing, apart from a blank piece of white paper lying on the floor.

“Huh,” shrugged Shisui. “One of the kids is probably messing around. Nothing to worry about.”


	7. Hurt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Itachi begins to think of new ways to entertain his friend, but is confronted by a mysterious woman in the market. When he arrives to visit Kisame, his worst suspicions are confirmed...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok...i have to admit, i got so upset describing some of the events in this chapter! there's torture, as a trigger warning.  
> but on the upside, we meet Konan properly!  
> aaaand there's some very lovely Kisaita moments, as well as Shisui being a supportive wingman.

The following morning, Itachi rose early, and then dressed himself. He combed through his long black hair, and then tied it back in his usual low ponytail. Today, he was going to do something he would have dreaded to consider doing several weeks ago.

He was going into the main village, to the market.

And he was going on his own, without his mother or Sasuke to interpret for him.

He glanced at the storeroom as he passed on his way out the compound. Rikuto was sitting outside in a deck chair, dozing in the sunlight, as he had been for the past few days. Itachi didn’t know who was keeping watch today, but he didn’t care. They could sit idly in the gloom, for all he cared. Kisame wouldn’t speak to them, but he would speak to Itachi. And for that reason, Itachi couldn’t help but smile, thinking of his new friend.

At the market, he went straight to the fishmongers, and selected an entire tray of shrimp, and an entire tray of crab. The fishmonger gave him a strange look as Itachi gestured to the whole tray and then held out the money. But Kisame deserved it.

At the dango stall, he selected the tri-coloured dango that Hazuki liked, and gestured for a whole bag to be filled with it. The stallholder wasn’t even surprised to see him ask for such a large amount. Itachi was certain he had kept the stall in business over the years, and that he could have potentially bought a business share, with how often he purchased the dango. Although, maybe he would leave a few sticks on Hazuki and Izumi’s doorstep, as a thank you for their direct and indirect assistance the other day.

The sun beamed down on him, making his raven black hair glint brown in the light.

He signed _‘thank you,’_ and mouthed the words too, so that the stall holders would be able to understand him. If they didn’t understand him, then it was their problem. They could learn to communicate with him, he shouldn’t have to feel shut off from everyone.

As he made his way deeper into the market, now looking around for things to buy to entertain Kisame with, he glanced over his right shoulder to see if anyone from the Uchiha compound had followed him. He doubted it, as they all had their own business to attend to, but he could never be sure.

A few metres away stood a slim elegant woman with blue hair and a lip piercing. Her eyes were amber, framed with defined black lashes. Itachi gazed sideways at her, as she seemingly poured over a selection of different breads from the bakery stall.

Her eyes flickered up from the bread loaves, and then turned to meet Itachi’s. Her gaze slid up and down his entire body, almost as if she was examining him and committing his very appearance to memory.

Discomfort worried at the pit of his belly.

But then she turned away, focusing her attention back on the market stall she was buying from, and paid for the rolls she had selected. The baker tucked the rolls into a brown paper bag, and Itachi noticed that from the bulges in the bag, she had picked up four in total.

He turned away, not wanting his gaze to become suspicious. He would have activated his Sharingan, to take a better look at her, but knew that if he were to do so, then he could risk unsettling the villagers, who were suspicious of the Uchiha already.

He wandered deeper into the market, burying himself in a large throng of people so that he would naturally be jostled away from the woman. He tucked the blanket of the basket further over the shrimp, crab and dango, almost self-consciously, worrying that their presence might give Kisame away.

Finally, he stopped in front of a stall selling pens, pencils, and notebooks. After five minutes of browsing, Itachi selected a dark navy blue notebook, and a new pen to match. He handed over the change, communicating with nods and facial expressions, before tucking them in his basket. He turned back around.

This time he was face to face with the woman.

There was no way out of greeting her.

Itachi bowed low, out of respect, since he could not use honorifics to greet her.

She regarded him coolly, then nodded cordially, before stepping forwards to look through at some of the notebooks herself. Her slim white fingers flipped through the pages, nails clicking against the cover. Before Itachi turned away to return to the compound, he couldn’t help but notice that her nails were painted an orange-red colour.

Kisame painted his nails a dark-purple, almost black, colour.

Itachi hurried through the village, eager to leave the strange woman behind. He had never seen her before, and she most certainly didn’t look like a regular villager. She carried herself too highly, she was almost too regal, too haughty, to be a mere civilian going about her business. She reminded Itachi very strongly of the Fifth Hokage and the Fifth Mizukage…and his mother. Especially whenever Mikoto was on public business with Fugaku.

Back in the Uchiha compound, Itachi wandered through the empty house, ensuring that it really was empty, before took his basket upstairs to his room, and then carefully checked the contents. Everything was there.

He forced himself to calm. Likely, he wouldn’t see the woman ever again, and there was no need for his alarm. Maybe she was just a confident woman, and the only reason he was so unsettled was because there were not as many confident women in the world as there should be.

Instead, he spent the afternoon gathering the things he wanted to take to show Kisame. He picked up one of the various pictures that Mikoto had scattered over the house of their family. Mikoto had so many family pictures that Itachi doubted that she’d miss one of them for a few hours.

In the more recent photographs, Itachi noted that the only person who ever smiled in the photographs was Mikoto herself. Fugaku smiled in some of the early pictures from their wedding day, their first picture with the newborn Itachi, but then through Itachi’s early childhood, stopped smiling completely and started looking serious. At the young age of four, Itachi also stopped smiling and started imitating his father. Sasuke took a while longer to stop smiling, he started copying his father and older brother around age eight.

Itachi selected a more recent one, so that Kisame would be able to recognise Itachi, and understand who the other people were, and then tucked it inside his basket with the shrimp, crab, notebook and pen.

At five ‘o’ clock, Itachi went and knocked on Shisui’s door, collecting his cousin without incident. He showed Shisui the selection of things he had brought for Kisame, and they began to walk towards the storeroom.

When they arrived, the first thing Itachi noticed was that Rikuto’s chair was empty. He and Shisui ignored it, and instead pressed the door open. They slipped inside, one after the other, and then turned to face-

What he saw next made his stomach turn.

A puddle of blood sluggishly crawled towards his sandaled feet. Kisame was sitting on the ground in front of the tank, with a heavy metal collar around his neck, and shackles around his wrists and ankles. He groaned in pain and panted roughly. As Itachi looked, there were visible lashes across those muscled broad shoulders, and another injury on his leg. The sides of his mouth were speckled with foamy blood.

“Tell us what you are!” demanded Osamu. There was a loud lash, and then Kisame bellowed in pain. His roar of pain soon segued into a cackling laugh, and tracks of blood trailed from each corner of his mouth. He shook his head defiantly at Osamu.

Itachi let out a cry of anguish, that sounded more like a horrified squawk.

“What the actual fuck…” breathed Shisui, his words painted with disgust.

“Hi boys,” greeted Osamu, turning away from Kisame. He laid the whip down on the floor, and wiped his hands down his trousers. Bloody flowers bloomed against the fabric. “Our testing session just overran a little. This thing has a high pain tolerance. I really had to slam into him to get him to complain.”

“This is so wrong,” Shisui hissed, low at the back of his throat. Itachi glanced sideways at his cousin. He wasn’t sure if he’d heard Shisui speak in such a fashion before.

“It’s not wrong, it’s just a fish,” shrugged Rikuto.

"He's a captive, you've done the battle, caught him, there's no need for torture!" Shisui shouted back. As soon as he finished shouting, he gave a low moan of pain, and then pressed his palm to his forehead.

"Listen, kid," Rikuto explained. “Half the week has gone before Fugaku-sama wants it out of here, we need to learn how it works.”

“He can still feel things!” Itachi tried to shriek. But the words came out as little wheezes and puffs of air. Two pink spots appeared in Itachi’s cheeks.

“Well, we’ve got to go and keep up appearances,” said Shou. “I don’t suppose you’d clean up this mess and put the sharkman back in the tank?”

How Itachi wished he and Shisui had their Sharingans at their full powers and at their full capacity. The things he would do to his three uncles…oh, Itachi dreaded to think what kind of tortures he and Shisui would have devised for Kisame’s tormentors…and they were the more 'pacifistic' members of the clan.

“Fine,” Shisui fought back an angry bark.

Shou tossed a bunch of keys, that Shisui promptly caught.

“Unlock the shackles around his ankles and wrists, and then take him up the stairs and just toss him back in the tank. But keep the neck harness on, in case he tries to escape,” instructed Shou. He glanced over Itachi and Shisui. “Any trouble, you’ve both still got your Sharingans, even if they’re not so powerful now, so use it. They work effectively on him.”

“Go,” Shisui instructed.

Rikuto, Osamu and Shou left. Shisui slammed the door behind them, and locked it from the inside.  
Itachi dropped the basket of goodies, and then rushed over to Kisame. He slowed his pace as he approached, and then showed Kisame his bare and empty hands to show that he was no threat. As he bent down beside him, the man shuddered.

“Ssh,” Itachi attempted to sooth, the sound being one of the only noises left to him. “Ssh.”

He signed _‘help’_ gently, and then strangely hesitatingly yet entirely instinctively, laid a hand on Kisame’s shoulder. He had never been so close to Kisame before. His skin felt rough, slightly bumpy. Almost like that of a real shark. The beating that he’d been given…had to have been a very strong beating for such wounds to be inflicted on such hard skin.

Kisame turned and stared at Itachi’s hand, and Itachi almost wanted to recoil away, wondering if he’d upset his friend. But Kisame’s gaze was not hateful or angry, but curious.

Encouraged, Itachi gently stroked the palm of his hand across Kisame’s shoulder, whilst softly murmuring under his breath soothing words that emerged as squawks. He remembered soothing Sasuke like this as a young child, sometimes even singing to him. Sasuke would always stop crying and listen with wide eyes as Itachi sang whatever nonsensical nursery rhyme came into his mind. He almost wished he could sing to Kisame now, to soothe and comfort him.

No, he wished he was a medical nin, so that he could actually heal Kisame and take away the pain from the cruel wounds.

“Is he all right?” asked Shisui, turning back to face them. One of his hands massaged his forehead. Itachi hoped that Shisui wasn’t about to start having another migraine.

Itachi shook his head.

“Hazuki,” he mouthed, as he used his hands to comfort Kisame.

“You want me to get Hazuki?” asked Shisui.

Itachi nodded frantically.

“I don’t know if she’ll come, or if her medical ninjutsu would work,” Shisui stared at Kisame’s blue skin and larger body.

Itachi looked back down at Kisame. Shisui was right. Kisame was very different to them. Would the same medical ninjutsu that had saved Shisui and Itachi’s lives work on Kisame? Hazuki herself had wanted very little to do with Kisame’s captivity.

“Maybe if we get him in the water it might help?” asked Shisui.

Itachi nodded.

Shisui stepped forward carefully, bent down, and with the key that Shou had given him, undid the shackles around Kisame’s ankles and his wrists.

Itachi slid an arm under Kisame’s shoulders and tried to haul him upright onto his feet. But the man weighed heavily against his shoulder, and he didn’t seem to want to move. Eventually Itachi gave up, and instead settling for sitting with Kisame on the floor, hoping that his contact would at least be of some comfort. He reached back in the basket of things he’d brought, and then lifted the blanket. Slowly and gently, he began to dab away the blood at the side of Kisame’s mouth.

Shisui, meanwhile, decided to leave them to it, and started to mop up the blood on the floor in case one of the Uchiha children happened to stroll past and see it pooling under the door.

As Itachi mopped the blood from Kisame’s lips, he noticed as Kisame’s lips moved that where he would have expected to see a tongue, he instead saw a bloody stump. He frowned, and gently brushed Kisame’s lip up to take a better look, but Kisame shied away from the contact. Itachi left it, instead focusing on dabbing away the blood from the welts on Kisame’s back.

“I had a thought,” said Shisui, as he mopped. “Even if we do get Hazuki to heal him, they’ll come back and notice what we’ve done.”

“I don’t care,” was what Itachi wanted to say, but then remembered. He was in a very precarious position. If Rikuto, Shou and Osamu had reason to suspect he was against them, they’d stop allowing him to visit Kisame, and instead ask a less sympathetic and uncaring Uchiha to watch over Kisame. And then that could have even more disastrous consequences for Kisame.

As much as it pained him, Itachi could do nothing to ease Kisame’s pain.

“Sorry,” he whispered, low, at the back of his throat. The blanket was soaked through with blood. Itachi flung it away, and then ripped off his shirt to dab at the wounds again.

When the blood was dabbed away, and Kisame seemed to have calmed. Itachi reached into the basket, and then pulled out a piece of shrimp, which he offered to Kisame.

The man turned his face away.

Itachi’s shoulders slumped.

But he reached out, and tapped his shoulder.

 _‘Eat,’_ he signed. _‘You will grow strong. Eat.’_

Kisame let Itachi feed him the shrimp, and then accepted the next piece that Itachi offered him. Itachi began to wonder if maybe it was hurting Kisame to eat, as his blunt jaw slackened and he chewed messily.

Shisui turned, and almost did a double take at the close, intimate embrace that Itachi and Kisame were locked in. Itachi had somehow squirmed under Kisame’s arm, and was tearing a piece of crab in two, and gently feeding Kisame from his bare hands. Shisui bit back a comment, instead deciding to allow them to be. Shisui knew Itachi, adored him as a brother, and knew that Itachi deserved love in all its forms. He did not know Kisame, not well at all, but knew that he too deserved love and respect.

And so Shisui stood back, bending back down to ensure he had mopped away every inch of blood, offering the greatest thing he could offer Kisame and Itachi in that moment; privacy. 

Itachi stayed like that for a long time, until he decided that Kisame had eaten enough of the shrimp and crab. He pulled out a stick of dango, and offered it to Kisame. Kisame shook his head.

Itachi pulled out the CD player, and some of the new CDs he’d brought.

‘Music?’ asked Itachi, with a sign.

Kisame shook his head.

Instead, Itachi pulled out the picture he had pinched from Mikoto’s collection. He gestured to himself, and then made the sign for family over the photograph. _‘My family,’_ he signed. Then he pointed to Kisame and asked. _‘Do you have a family?’_

Kisame stared blankly at him.

 _‘K…I…S…A…M…E family,’_ Itachi signed instead.

Kisame thought for a moment, and then nodded.

“He has a family?” whispered Shisui.

Itachi picked up the picture, then pointed to Fugaku. _‘Father.’_

He pointed to Mikoto. _‘Mother.’_

Then he pointed to Sasuke. _‘Brother. Little brother.’_

Itachi glanced up at Kisame. His expression was blank, yet at the same time, strangely thoughtful.

 _‘Love,’_ Itachi signed over the picture. _‘I love them.’_

Kisame lifted his hands, and then copied Itachi’s sign for love.

Itachi nodded.

Kisame pointed to himself, and then repeated the sign for ‘family.’ He lifted his hands, and started to sign _‘H’_ and then _‘O.’_ Itachi scrambled to grab the notebook, and then began to write as Kisame signed. _‘S…H…I…G…A…K…I.'_

Hoshigaki.

“Your name is Kisame Hoshigaki?” asked Shisui.

Kisame nodded.

 _‘Mother?’_ asked Itachi.

Kisame shook his head.

_‘Father?’_

Kisame shook his head.

_‘Brother?’_

Kisame once again shook his head. Itachi tried to think of some other family members, but then realised he had only brought a picture of his immediate family. He could sign them, but how would Kisame know what he was even referring to?

 _‘I will bring some more tomorrow,’_ Itachi signed.

The door rattled.

“Shisui. Itachi. Let us in,” commanded the voice of Rikuto.

“Oh, piss off, why don’t you?” cursed Shisui, clamouring up.

Reluctantly, Itachi extradited himself from where he held Kisame up. He briefly laid one hand on Kisame’s cheek, caressing his fingertips along Kisame’s blunt jaw, hoping that his comforting touch would linger long after he was gone, and then mouthed. “Wait for me. I’ll help you.”

Shisui unlocked the door.

“Why was it locked?” demanded Rikuto.

“To stop the kids getting in and seeing the mess,” retorted Shisui.

“Why isn’t he back in his tank?” frowned Shou, looking across at the mess of Itachi’s bloody blanket, upturned basket, portable CD player and CDs, remnants of shrimp and crab, notebook stained with bloody finger prints and discarded bloody shirt.

“What does it matter to you?” asked Shisui, quickly stuffing everything Itachi had brought back into the basket. “We were cleaning up. And we couldn’t lift him.”

“Really? You two used to be the most promising kids in the clan,” scoffed Osamu.

 _‘F…U…C…K…Y…O…U,’_ signed Itachi.

“What did you say?” demanded Osamu.

 _‘F…U…C…K…Y…O…U,’_ Itachi signed again.

“Thank you! He said thank you!” lied Shisui, grabbing Itachi by the arm, and pulling him out. They managed to walk a few paces, before Itachi stopped walking, and seized Shisui by the arm. His mouth went wide, as he tried to stammer out a few words.

 _‘We have to help Kisame,’_ Itachi signed desperately. _‘I can’t bear it. We have to rescue him.’_

“For god’s sake, not out here!” hissed Shisui. “Let’s get inside. Your place or mine?”

 _‘Izumi’s,’_ signed Itachi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i hope the torture scene didn't upset anyone too much. i literally wanted to punch Shou, Osamu and Rikuto through my computer screen.


	8. Saving Kisame

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Itachi, Shisui and Izumi convene to discuss a rescue attempt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahhh thanks so much for the sweet comments on my last chapter! i love every single one of them <3
> 
> in this chapter, we find out a bit more about my portrayal of Hazuki Uchiha! i had so much fun developing her and i really like her as a character. i'm gonna do a post on my tumblr about my portrayals of the Uchiha ladies and why i chose to portray them the way i did sometime soon, so keep your eyes peeled for it!
> 
> i also had a lot of fun making up some hcs for the Hoshigaki clan as well, basing it off of Kisame's legendary shark fact spiel when he meets Itachi in canon.
> 
> in the meantime, Itachi begins thinking of a rescue plan, and then tries to talk to Fugaku. i'm aware Fugaku is a bit of an ass about it, but i hope it's clear that Fugaku cares about his family most and wants them to be safe more than anything else.

Shisui’s white knuckles rapped against the wooden pane of the front door to Izumi’s house. Dusk had fallen around them, and they both waited in silence in the growing darkness until Hazuki answered the door.

“Oh my god,” she muttered, her eyes widening at the sight of the blood on both Shisui and Itachi. “Where? Where are you bleeding?”

“It’s not ours,” explained Shisui. “Can we come in?”

“Of course, of course,” Hazuki took a step back in the hallway to let them pass. Automatically, Itachi bent to remove his shoes, only for Hazuki to shake her head. “Itachi, if you’re covered in blood, the last thing I’m worried about is your shoes dirtying my floor.”

Itachi stepped in, and Hazuki quickly closed the door behind him, concealing him from the glares of his clansmen and the unforgivable gaze of the surveillance cameras.

“Okaa-san? Who is it?” asked Izumi, her footsteps echoing on the stairs. She was dressed in a pair of sweatpants, an oversized shirt and cardigan, evidently relaxing after her day. She drew a sharp intake of breath as soon as she saw the blood.

 _‘I’m fine,’_ signed Itachi. He turned to Hazuki. _‘Please may I borrow a book?’_

“A book?” frowned Hazuki, her eyes never moving away from the blood smeared across his torso and arms. “Now?”

Itachi nodded.

“It’s important,” explained Shisui. “It’s about the shark guy stuck in the storeroom.”

“What about him?” asked Hazuki.

 _‘I want to help him,’_ Itachi signed.

“I see,” said Hazuki. She lifted her head, pursing her lips determinedly. “Take all the books you need. I’ll find clean you up and find you a spare shirt.”

As soon as Hazuki left, Izumi joined him and Shisui in a little trio, and they went to sit in the living room. It was a tight fit with all of three of them inside, and would be tighter still when Hazuki joined them, but none of them paid any mind to the lack of personal space.

“They were beating him, Izumi,” Shisui stated, sinking down onto the sofa and placing his head in his hands. “It was vile. There was blood absolutely everywhere. Itachi wanted to get your mum, but we knew if we healed his wounds those three bastards would know and probably make the whole thing even worse.”

“Only yesterday, we realised they weren’t feeding him,” added Izumi, joining him on the sofa.

Itachi, meanwhile, had left them and wandered over to the bookshelf. He knew why he had been drawn to Hazuki’s pictures of Kirigakure the other day. He stared closer at the picture of her clutching the newborn baby. Was the hand of the child blue because the child had barely taken their first breaths, or because they were like Kisame?

Itachi started to hunt through the bookshelves. Most of them were to do with medical ninjutsu, mainly midwifery, but on the bottom shelf was where Hazuki kept her books about the world.

Itachi trailed a finger along the spines of the books, Sunagakure, Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and then selected the one about Kirigakure. He thumped through the pages, realising to his delight that not only did the book describe the Kiri culture and geographical features, but that the book detailed all the different Kiri clans. He recognised a page about the Hozuki clan, and then realised he must be close. He flicked back, and then found it.

The Hoshigaki clan.

_‘…renowned for their shark-like appearance…high chakra levels, almost unlimited…compatibility with the blade Samehada…’_

All of this began to make sense. Kisame’s unusual but beautiful unique appearance. There were chakra suppressing seals on the binds keeping Kisame within the tank and in chains. Otherwise he would have broken free long ago. Itachi had seen no evidence of a blade anywhere, and had never heard the name Samehada before, but supposed Kisame had lost it whilst being captured.

How could his uncles be so idiotic to capture a Hoshigaki clan member from the Bloody Mist and then claim that it was an animal to study on?

Itachi shook his head at the stupidity of it all. He hunched over the book on the ground, trying to discover and memorize as much information as he possibly could as Shisui and Izumi swapped information on their visits with Kisame.

Many of the members of the Hoshigaki clan were dead, having died in battle or various other fights. Some had left the village, and gone on the run as missing-nin. There was no further information on their status. Maybe that was why Kisame had shaken his head so many times as Itachi signed the names for family members. But Itachi wasn’t sure how up to date Hazuki’s book was, or even what generation of the clan that Kisame was from. Come to think of it, he didn’t know how old Kisame was either. There was so little about the man that he knew…

Itachi wished he’d thought to ask, wished that he could have met Kisame in a different way, a happier way.

“Itachi,” called Izumi. Itachi glanced up, and noticed both Shisui and Izumi were watching him from the sofa with concerned expressions. “What do you want to do?”

In the doorway, Hazuki reappeared, holding a damp cloth and a fresh shirt. Itachi climbed up off the floor, carrying the book with him and laying it on the coffee table in front of them all. He sat on the third space of the sofa, where he allowed Hazuki to sponge away Kisame’s dried blood from his arms and shoulders, perching on the armrest. He stared at the open pages, thinking, before he responded to Izumi’s question.

 _‘I want to help Kisame,’_ he signed. _‘I think we should help him escape.’_

“Right,” said Shisui. His remaining eye flickered over to Hazuki, but she seemed unconcerned or prepared to stop them by any means. He turned back to his cousins. “How do you want to start?”

 _‘I think we need to get him out of the chakra suppressing bonds,’_ Itachi explained.

Shisui closed his eye, as Itachi watched him cast his mind back to their earlier escapades. “I remember there were only keys for the shackles on his arm and legs.”

 _‘There must be another but in a secure location,’_ Itachi signed. _‘We have to find it.’_

“Maybe it’s in one of their houses,” suggested Shisui. “We could follow one of them home, watch them through the window, see where they keep it, and then the next time they go out, we break in.”

Itachi nodded. _‘That’s an idea.’_

“By now, they must have already guessed we disapprove. We haven’t exactly been…subtle,” added Izumi. “They might be keeping an eye out for us. What about a master key? Itachi, would oji-san have one? Could you ask him for it?”

Itachi almost kicked himself for not thinking of it sooner. _‘Possibly. But do you think otou-san would go along with it?’_

“Maybe,” said Shisui.

Itachi dwelled on his thoughts. Truthfully, he couldn’t decide whether or not Fugaku would be likely to help them. _‘What if he doesn’t help us?’_

“Then we steal it,” answered Izumi simply.

 _‘I would be stealing from my parents,’_ signed Itachi. He would be going behind their backs and betraying their trust. That already made him feel uncomfortable. It wasn’t like that time when he was five and helped himself to some ryos that Mikoto had left on the coffee table to buy dango, thinking it was free. He would be making a deliberate, conscious choice to do something that would upset them.

But if he didn’t, then Kisame remained in the tank, being tortured. And that was not something Itachi would allow to happen any longer.

“If you’re worried about them catching you, why don’t you ask Sasuke to distract them or stand guard-” began Shisui.

 _‘No,’_ Itachi shook his head forcefully. _‘Not Sasuke.’_

“He’d love to help us!” protested Shisui, holding his hands out. “He’s a smart kid, too!”

 _‘Sasuke does not get involved,’_ Itachi signed firmly.

“Presuming our plan to get the keys works, once Kisame is free, where do we take him?” asked Izumi. She glanced over at Hazuki’s map of Konohagakure and the Uchiha territory on the other side of the wall. “How about to the Naka River? He could swim away.”

 _‘He is injured,’_ Itachi signed.

“How severely?” asked Hazuki.

Itachi and Shisui exchanged glances. Itachi allowed Shisui to explain, knowing that Shisui would be able to describe the situation better than he would.

“Not as bad as we were,” replied Shisui. “He has lacerations on his back, and his leg, from being beaten.”

 _‘His mouth,’_ Itachi signed. _‘There was something wrong with his mouth.’_

“You can’t release him like that. He needs to recover first. Otherwise, he won’t be able to make an escape properly, because he’ll be tired and slow, potentially leaving blood so they can track him, and they’ll catch him. Even if he did manage to escape, then the wounds could become infected before he reaches safety,” explained Hazuki. Itachi remembered that before she had been a midwife, she had reached the rank of chunin, and accompanied both his mother and Shisui's mother on missions. “I would heal them now, if I could, but I doubt that I could sneak in there and back out undetected. And they would notice that I’d healed him, and that someone was working against them.”

“How long do we have to get him out?” asked Izumi.

 _‘Less than a week. That’s when they’re supposed to release him…but something tells me it won’t go to plan,’_ Itachi signed. Briefly, he debated whether or not he killing his uncles would allow him to rescue Kisame sooner. Killing wasn’t his favourite pastime, but it was a necessary one on occasion. He’d already killed plenty of times before. Killing Shou, Rikuto and Osamu would be no different. Maybe it would feel cathartic, especially when he thought about the way Kisame keened in pain. But killing them would also be very likely to draw a murder investigation. If Itachi wasn’t careful, then the finger would be quickly pointed at him.

He decided against it. To commit the perfect murder, where no one suspected him, would take time that he didn’t have. To plan it, orchestrate it, then conceal the evidence. Asking Shisui and Izumi to help would be irresponsible, considering Shisui’s pain and Izumi’s safety.

“I believe the same,” said Hazuki, bringing Itachi’s thoughts back to the room.

“Okaa-san, what do we do?” asked Izumi.

Hazuki’s eyes flickered over to the open book lying on her coffee table.

“He told us that he’s a Hoshigaki,” explained Shisui.

“Hoshigaki, hmm? I delivered one of their babies, when I was still allowed to travel outside the village. It was one of the most horrific births I had attended.”

Itachi turned to face his aunt curiously.

“The mother had been carrying triplets,” explained Hazuki, before he could ask further. “But when she was in labour, one of the babies was stuck. I had to operate, like I did when I delivered Shisui. But when I opened her up…”

“What happened?” asked Izumi.

“When I opened her up…it was so difficult to make the incision as her skin was so tough. When I finally got through, only one baby had survived. The other two…they’d been eaten by the surviving child. All that was left was a few malformed lumps of flesh, one which blocked the birth canal, necessitating the operation. Apparently, it’s common for some kinds of sharks in utero to consume one another. And the Hoshigaki share shark-like features. I’d never seen anything like it,” Hazuki carried on. “This causes a lot of problems for maternal mortality, I’m not surprised the number of clan members are dwindling.”

Izumi looked horrified. Itachi nibbled his lip, at the reminder of Kisame’s more animalistic nature. But Kisame had been so gentle with him when Itachi held him barely less than an hour ago. He’d groaned in pain from his wounds as the red blood leaked out of his body, just like Itachi would have done. He’d listened to music with Itachi and nibbled dango at his side. He was so human. So very human.

“One day, I’m going to write a book detailing all the different biological features of every clan in this world so that every woman is able to deliver safely,” said Hazuki determinedly. Itachi’s eyes trailed across the room to note a desk beneath the window looking out onto the Compound. It was covered in papers, all with Hazuki’s handwriting on. There were diagrams, portraits, annotations and explanations.

Hazuki was a woman with a mission.

Hazuki lifted Itachi’s chin to face her. “Itachi, you need to talk to your father. You need to explain that’s a Hoshigaki clansman, and the political implications if he is held any longer. I think Shou, Rikuto and Osamu will only listen to him.”

Hazuki pulled the damp cloth away, and then rose to rinse it in the sink. Itachi pulled on the shirt that she had brought for him, then glanced over at Shisui and Izumi. Shisui had reclined back in his seat, and closed his eyes. One hand pressed against the side of his forehead. Izumi sat forwards, reading the open pages about the Hoshigaki clan.

His gaze flickered to the floor. He remembered the last time he had tried to talk to his father, before the vote on the coup, how he had tried to persuade Fugaku to listen to Itachi’s thoughts and opinions. He’d had a voice then, and Fugaku hadn’t listened. But now…would Fugaku even have the patience to sit and watch Itachi’s signs? And if he wouldn’t, would Mikoto and Sasuke interpret for him?

Itachi stared into the wooden panels of the floor. Maybe Fugaku would listen this time, having come so close to losing all that he held dear. Or maybe he wouldn’t, now that he had seen how Itachi’s choices and judgements had played out.

But he wouldn’t be doing this for his clan, or the village. In each of their ways, they had let him down spectacularly.

He’d be doing this for Kisame.

Itachi quickly decided what he needed to do.

* * *

 

 Itachi lightly tapped against Fugaku’s study door. The white curtains were closed and the room was darkened but for a reading lamp glowing over the desk where his father worked. Fugaku sat hunched over a document, wearing a pair of reading glasses.

“Sasuke, for the last time, I am not buying you a puppy!”

Itachi knocked again.

Fugaku turned around, and then lowered his glasses, almost relieved. “Oh, it’s you, Itachi. What’s the matter?”

Itachi lifted a notepad. He opened the notepad to reveal the first page, where he written in preparation to engage his father. ‘I NEED TO TALK TO YOU.’

“What is it?” asked Fugaku.

Itachi pulled out a pen, flicked to the next page, and began to write. ‘IT’S ABOUT THE CAPTIVE.’

Fugaku frowned. “What about him?”

‘WE NEED TO RELEASE HIM.’ Itachi printed in capitals, then underlined ‘need’ and ‘release.’

Fugaku gazed at his son. He licked his lips, and then stated. “I offered them a week.”

Itachi shook his head, frustrated. He grabbed his pen, flicked to a fresh page. ‘NO. NOW!!!’

“Itachi, don’t be unfair,” said Fugaku. He climbed up, out of his seat, and laid his hands on Itachi’s shoulders.

Itachi knew that Fugaku meant to offer comfort, but instead felt incredibly patronized. He scowled up at Fugaku, even as Fugaku began to speak.

“Listen to me. I don’t like having him captive anymore than you do. But Shou, Rikuto and Osamu are our clansmen. I know you think I’m in a position where I can just tell them and our other clansmen and women what to do. But it’s not that simple. There are fractions against us. Remember what I taught you?”

Itachi reluctantly nodded, remembering how Madara Uchiha had been deposed when his plans differed from those of the clan.

“Shou, Rikuto and Osamu are weak, cowardly, pathetic men. Compared to many other Uchiha, they haven’t achieved a lot with their lives. They’re desperate for recognition. And they’ve told all of the other Uchiha that this man could make us all stronger, they’ve convinced them that the captive can help. And there’s an undercurrent of fear right now, after your and Shisui’s attack. They’ve played on that. I am trying to protect our family and our position as best as I can. I must be fair. I offered them the week, and the week is all they will have. Then I want the fish man gone.”

Itachi shook his head angrily. He began to scrawl on the sketchpad, his words in his anger growing spiky and defiant. ‘IT’S IMPORTANT. HE’S NOT A FISH!’

He shoved the pad under Fugaku’s nose, and made an angry sound.

Fugaku pushed it aside, and reached for Itachi once again. “Didn’t you hear anything I said? Your own position is threatened.”

Itachi took a deep, anguished sigh, before signing, _‘answer me.’_

“What does that mean?” frowned Fugaku.

Itachi grabbed the notepad and pen again. ‘LOOK AT ME. WHAT AM I?’

“You’re my boy,” replied Fugaku.

‘I CAN’T TALK. NEITHER CAN HE,’ Itachi scrawled. ‘I’M A MUTE. I’M BROKEN.’

“You’re not broken,” scolded Fugaku.

‘I AM NOT WHO I WAS. BUT YOU SAVED ME. WHY?’

“Because you’re my son!” Fugaku replied firmly. He began to squirm uncomfortably as Itachi probed his emotions out of him. “You’re my son, and I…your mother and I love you dearly. I know I haven’t been the best at showing it, but I love you for who you are. No matter what. You're one of us. You're an Uchiha.”

Itachi nodded eagerly. _'Yes, yes!'_ he signed enthusiastically. Something resembling relief relaxed Fugaku's expression, but Itachi grabbed the pen and pad again to carry on with the more complex sentences. 'I AM AN UCHIHA AND HE IS A HOSHIGAKI. HE IS LIKE ME.'

Fugaku stared at the words. "A Hoshigaki? That's not a name from round here."

'CLAN FROM KIRI,' Itachi wrote. 'HIS NAME IS KISAME.'

He ripped the piece of paper free, shoving it in Fugaku's hands to reach as he began to write again. ‘WHEN I SEE KISAME, HE’S HAPPY TO SEE ME. EVERY TIME. EVERY DAY. HE SEES ME FOR WHO I AM. HE DOESN’T CARE WHAT I LACK.’

Itachi shoved the next piece of paper in Fugaku's hands, watching as Fugaku’s eyes narrowed as he read.

‘WE ARE THE SAME. WE ARE BOTH HUMAN NOT FISH,’ Itachi nodded frantically as he finished the sentence, urging Fugaku to read as soon as his writing was complete. He began to print in capitals again. ‘NOW I CAN EITHER SAVE HIM, OR LET HIM DIE.’

“He’s not going to die.”

‘I DON’T TRUST SHOU, OR RIKUTO, OR OSAMU,’ Itachi wrote.

“And neither do I,” replied Fugaku. “That’s why I can’t antagonise them. Do you understand? I cannot give them ammunition that they can use to discredit me. To discredit us. The first family.”

‘I DON’T CARE!’ Itachi scrawled, the words large and childlike, looming across the page.

“Then that’s very immature of you,” scolded Fugaku. “Have you no care for your mother? For Sasuke?”

Itachi reached out and slammed his fist into the wall. In that very moment, he wished he could speak. He wished he could scream at Fugaku that it had nothing to do with his mother, or Sasuke.

Fugaku recoiled as Itachi’s fist collided with the wall. In the other room, he heard both Mikoto and Sasuke startle. He almost felt bad for frightening his mother and younger brother, but the urgency of the situation brushed the feeling aside. Itachi reached out and grabbed the front of Fugaku’s shirt with his clawed fists. Animalistic noises escaped his throat as his tongue curled, his teeth bared, as he desperately willed himself to speak whilst shaking Fugaku.

“Let me go!” Fugaku shoved his eldest son away.

Itachi scrambled down, and then grabbed his sketchpad. ‘HELP THIS TIME. PLEASE.’

“No, this is for our own good,” said Fugaku firmly. “You do not raise your fist at me. I have said, one week. It’s already less than a week. And then the captive is gone. I’ve told Shou that he needs to put together a plan to take the shark man back to Kirigakure.”

Itachi shook his head frantically. _‘No,’_ he signed. _‘No.’_

He knew that Shou would never take Kisame back to Kirigakure. And neither would Osamu or Rikuto. Kisame had seen the inside of the Uchiha Compound, he knew who they were. If his uncles released him, there was a chance that Kisame would come back for revenge, that he would kill them even in the moment of his release. Itachi knew that they could never, and would never, let Kisame leave here alive. He grabbed the sketchpad, furiously writing, trying to tell Fugaku what he meant. ‘THEY WILL HURT HIM.’

“The way I saw him lunge at me, lunge at you…He would have hurt us,” Fugaku shook his head. “That thing is a beast…I don’t think he’s even human.”

Itachi stood in the doorway, then threw his sketchpad down in disgust on the ground. It landed with a slap against the ground, the pages bent and twisted. Itachi lifted his hands to sign, giving Fugaku his hardest, coldest stare.

_‘If we do nothing, then neither are we.’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you all for reading! <3


	9. Thinking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After his pleas for help from his father fall on deaf ears, Itachi realises he must make a plan by himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oooooh it's heating up! there's a few of my hcs about the Uchiha clan leadership and also a scene of Itachi struggling to concoct a plan to free Kisame. I know it might seem out of character that a character who is described as a genius is struggling to come up with an idea, but what people tend to forget that is no matter how clever someone is, they still have emotions that impact their ability to think etc. in this case, Itachi is experiencing some PTSD symptoms brought on by how he remembers trying to stop the coup with Shisui, and what it led to.

Trying to yell at Fugaku brought him no joy. Itachi paced back and forth in the Compound, unable to stand being under his parents’ roof any longer. The moon waxed over the houses, and Itachi looked around at all of them. At his stupid, selfish clan, who only gave a shit about getting more and more power and privilege.

He knew he had to do something.

But what?

He tried, forcing himself to think. He brought his heart trying to think. But all he could remember, the last time he tried to think and plot a solution to an exploding problem and situation, with Shisui, was the ensuing chaos.

* * *

_Blood trickled from Shisui’s lower lash line, and then down his cheeks. Like a tear._

_Why is he crying blood? Itachi thought to himself, drawing closer._

_And then there it was, in Danzo’s outstretched shrivelled hand._

_Shisui’s eye._

* * *

And now he was mute. The only people he trusted who would possibly help him were a half-Uchiha, a midwife, his sickly cousin, and his kid brother. And Itachi was not about to drag Sasuke into this mess.

Itachi stared at a piece of white paper that blew into the Compound on the wind. Come to think of it, there had been lots of pieces of blank paper around lately. Maybe someone had left their office window open and the paper had escaped, blowing into the wind to go wherever fate took it. Itachi almost wished he could be like the paper, free to go wherever he wished, free of the weight and the demands of the Uchiha name.

Now he really did understand how Hazuki felt.

Itachi slumped down on the ground with his back against a tree, and then laid his head in his hands, fighting back hot, angry tears of frustration.

Fuck Fugaku.

Really, fuck him.

In a few days, Itachi would turn eighteen. Upon turning eighteen, like the other adults in the clan, he would have every right to challenge Fugaku for leadership. He would have a good claim, being Fugaku’s heir and direct bloodline.

For a few nasty moments, Itachi fantasised about serving Fugaku the challenge on the morning of his eighteenth birthday for the sheer hell of it, being able to gloat about the hurt and disappointment in Fugaku’s eyes. Then Fugaku would understand how Itachi felt as he’d turned down Itachi’s pleas for help.

Itachi shook his head at that plan. No, he couldn’t do that to Fugaku, not even after Fugaku had upset him. He couldn’t do that to his mother either, and force her and Sasuke to live in a torn up family.

It wouldn’t work, anyway. Fugaku would be a powerful opponent to battle and Itachi wasn’t sure if he could face him in his current condition. He hadn’t trained or been on active shinobi duty in months. As well as that, he’d need a decent number of clansmen and women backing his claim, and besides Izumi and Shisui, Itachi couldn’t think of any who would. And even if he did so, winning the clan leadership and the right to make important decisions on behalf of the clan, it would take too long. By the time Itachi had settled things and secured a stable leadership, it would probably be too late for Kisame anyway. Shou, Osamu and Rikuto would have had time to carry out whatever dreadful plan they intended, and if they were clever, use the disruption of a leadership challenge to do so unnoticed and unchecked.

Kisame needed help. Now.

As Itachi’s eyes bore into the lit windows of his father’s study, he remembered what Izumi suggested earlier that evening. About a master key. And stealing it.

He sat upright. If Fugaku wouldn’t help him directly…Itachi would just have to take what he needed from Fugaku.

He’d need to devise his plan within a day. Twenty four hours. Time was not on his side. Itachi knew if he didn’t hurry, then something bad was going to happen.

* * *

The morning dawned, and Itachi sat up, feeling a heavy weight in his chest. He dressed himself, and then lay down on the floor, watching both of his parents and then Sasuke’s footsteps pass by the crack beneath his door. He listened to their chatter as they ate breakfast together in the kitchen, and then waited for them to leave. Before Fugaku left, Itachi heard his heavy footsteps on the stairs, and through the crack of the door, Itachi saw his feet hesitating outside. Fugaku’s breaths were laboured, heavy, almost as if he was trying to decide something.

But eventually, Fugaku never made his mind up, or rather he did, as he walked away, leaving Itachi alone in his room.

Once the front door closed, Itachi slipped downstairs for his own breakfast. He ate quickly, hoping that neither his parents nor Sasuke would return, then went to debrief Izumi on the events of the previous evening.

“How did it go?” asked Izumi, opening the door of her house.

 _‘Not good,’_ signed Itachi.

“Oh?” asked Izumi, pulling him inside and then shutting the door of the house so they had privacy to talk. In the living room, Hazuki hunched over her desk, re-ordering sheets of paper, writing away, sketching diagrams for her book. Her braid hung over one shoulder, and a cup of tea sat smouldering away beside her.

 _‘We need to make our own plan,’_ Itachi signed. _‘Are you busy?’_

“No, not really,” replied Izumi.

_‘Good. Let’s spar.’_

Itachi pulled out his kunai from his pocket, that he had retrieved from the top of the bookshelf before he’d left this morning.

“You mean you want to?” asked Izumi.

Itachi nodded.

Izumi seized hold of him, and pulled him into the back garden, where they had more privacy from the rest of the Uchiha clan. She pulled out her own weapons from her pocket. “Good. Because I think we’re going to need it.”

Before Itachi could say another word, Izumi flew at him.

It felt strange, his body copying the familiar patterns of movements that he had perfected several years ago. It was almost like calling on an old friend. But his muscles had softened throughout his recuperation. His reflexes dragged.

But Izumi had grown stronger. Where he had laid in bed, Izumi had trained. Itachi blinked, and then Izumi had moved to a completely different position. He blinked again, and she had moved. She easily pinned him in a few minutes.

“You really have gone soft,” she noted. She released her hand and pinched the underside of his arm.

Itachi reached up and pushed her off.

“Oh, don’t sulk now!” Izumi cackled. “I’ve been waiting to pin you for years!”

 _‘Don’t get too used to it,’_ Itachi laid down his kunai to sign. _‘Again.’_

They spent the morning sparring, before collapsing in a sweaty heap by the side of Izumi’s house. Itachi tilted his head back against the cool panes of the outside wall. This had felt good, yes. As much as Itachi had always loathed needless violence and killing, when he fought to protect someone precious, it filled Itachi with an urgent beating in his heart, and a sense of pride in his abilities.

“So, what do you want to do about Kisame?” asked Izumi.

 _‘Get him out,’_ replied Itachi. _‘Otou-san will not help.’_

“He really wouldn’t?” asked Izumi.

Itachi shook his head.

“I thought he would,” admitted Izumi. She slumped back with her head against the wall, but then tilted it back to face Itachi. “In that case, we better think of a plan.”

Itachi stared at the grass dappling in the sunlight.

 _‘As soon as Otou-san leaves the study, I will take the master key,’_ signed Itachi.

“Are we watching Kisame tonight?” asked Izumi. “We could memorize the layout of the storeroom and some escape routes.”

Itachi met her eye, and nodded. That was exactly what he had been planning.

When the clock struck five, Izumi and Itachi arrived at the storeroom, steely-eyed and determined. Itachi clutched his little basket of goodies. Apprehension niggled inside of his stomach, at what he might discover his clansmen had done to Kisame this time.

“Hey kids,” greeted Rikuto, lowering his newspaper and peering up at them. “I heard you got a little upset yesterday, Itachi.”

Itachi stared at him, wondering how he could be so cruel and so casual.

“I know you’ve always been a compassionate kid, but it’s nothing to worry about, it’s an animal,” explained Rikuto. “Just keeping it tame.”

Itachi stared at him further, wanting to pound a thousand punches to his uncle’s face.

“Anyway, you go and make yourselves comfortable. I’m starving,” Rikuto climbed up out of his deckchair and wandered back down into the Compound.

Itachi and Izumi pushed open the door, expecting to see Shou and Osamu being vile, but to their surprise, spotted Tekka, Yashiro and Inabi, three clansmen who also worked for the Konoha Military Police Force that the Uchiha were responsible for. He remembered them trying to interview him and Shisui after their attack, and Itachi being completely unable to communicate with them back then. Yashiro had grown angrier, and angrier, and more persistent, as if his persistence would somehow magically restore Itachi’s ability to talk. Their annoying questions had lasted only for a few minutes, until an absolutely furious Mikoto threw them out.

Shou and Osamu were practically flattened against the tank. Itachi half-hoped that Kisame would thump the glass pane again to frighten them.

“The village is suspicious,” stated Tekka. “We need to get rid of it. What’s your plan?”

“We haven’t worked it out yet,” protested Shou. “We just need more time!”

“Time is running short, Shou,” barked Inabi. “It needs to go.”

“I fought it with my bare hands,” Osamu argued. He jutted out his double chin defiantly. “I’m not releasing it.”

“Release it? I never said release it, I said get rid of it,” Tekka growled.

“Does it matter how?” asked Shou.

“No, only that no one can ever find a trace of it,” Yashiro folded his arms.

Shou and Osamu exchanged glances.

“I suppose we could always take it apart, learn how it works,” suggested Shou. Osamu didn’t look happy, but nodded.

Itachi drew in a deep breath.

“Fugaku-sama has called a clan meeting tonight,” stated Inabi.

Itachi startled. So Fugaku had listened?

“We intend to put our thoughts to him about the situation then,” added Tekka.

The trio turned, and spotted Itachi and Izumi.

“Hi,” said Izumi. “Aren’t you going to have dinner?”

As soon as they left, Itachi ran up the stairs and stared in at the waters, waiting to see if Kisame would emerge. He tapped lightly on the glass, and before long, the shark man emerged. There were still wounds on his back and on his leg, but thankfully, no fresh ones. Itachi was so happy to see him he flung his arms around Kisame’s broad shoulders and almost fell into the water with him. Itachi steadied himself, and instead, he settled for cradling Kisame’s blunt jaw in his palms, stroking his rough hard skin.

He wondered if Kisame heard the things that his clansmen had been saying, if it was possible to hear in the murky confines of the water. He hoped not.

Kisame’s large hand reached up, out of the water, and then covered his. Despite his rough, shark-like skin, Kisame’s palms were smooth. Itachi almost wanted to stay like that forever, but he knew he had things to explain. And his body began to ache as he dangled over the edge of the tank. Reluctantly, he slipped his hands free, and then settled himself down, sitting on the edge of the tank.

 _‘Something bad is going to happen,’_ Itachi signed. _‘Danger.’_

Kisame frowned.

 _‘But it will be all right. We will help you,’_ Itachi explained as simply and easily as he could. He accepted the basket that Izumi brought up, and then laid out a selection of different foods for Kisame. _‘Eat. You must grow strong.’_

While Kisame ate, he and Izumi spent the next hour hunting through the whole storeroom for any spare exits, weak walls. There were none, and so the escape would have to be conducted through the main entrance. At least that way, Itachi knew they would not be vulnerable to any sneak attacks from behind, or any unwelcome guests in the storeroom as they left.

Itachi instead started opening and staring in at some of the various boxes and barrels. There was grain, rice, wheat, food supplies. That had always been in the storeroom. As a boy, Fugaku had brought him here many times to discuss the importance of keeping food supplies if the village or the Compound was besieged and they needed to feed the clan.

There was nothing out of the ordinary in any of these boxes and barrels.

“Hey, Itachi, look at this,” called Izumi.

Itachi glanced up, and over at Izumi. She held open a large metal box which was pushed against the wall. It was almost the size of an adult man and looked eerily like a coffin. Izumi peered in warily at whatever was inside.

“It looks like a giant mummified hedgehog on a stick,” stated Izumi.

Itachi approached the box, and peered in.

Inside the box, a large wrapped object filled the inside, almost as if it had been wedged in. It was wrapped in a series of bandages, apart from the hilt. Between the bandages, a few deep blue spikes protruded. Itachi felt a spike of chakra radiating from the now open box. At the bottom of the metal box, below the wrapped object, were some torn black scraps of material, some with slashes of red on.

“What do you think it is?” asked Izumi.

Itachi shrugged.

Izumi reached in and let her fingers brush against the hilt of the object. She began to close her hand around the hilt, but immediately, sharp spikes burst out, and Izumi recoiled with a shriek of pain.

Itachi rushed to her side and grabbed her hand. He stared at the puncture wounds, then back at the hilt, where the spikes had receded.

“I’m fine,” groaned Izumi, pulling away from him. “Just a scratch. Do you…do you think that’s a weapon?”

Itachi closed the lid on the box without taking a second look, hoping that whatever it was wasn’t alive and about to attack. He turned back to look at the tank to see if they had disturbed Kisame. Kisame had pressed his face and palms against the glass pane of the tank, and stared hopefully at the box.

The door to the storeroom rattled.

“Quick,” Izumi shoved her bleeding hand in her pocket, rushing over to unlock the door for whoever was outside. Itachi ran over to the tank, and then began to sign rapidly.

_‘Please wait. We will help. Tonight. Wait for me.’_

After he finished signing, Itachi placed his palm against the tank. Kisame covered Itachi’s hand with his, just like they had done during their first, initial moment of contact. Itachi felt his heart skip a beat, and then before he think, before he even knew what he was doing, he closed his eyes and pressed his lips against the cool pane of the glass. When he opened his eyes, he realised that Kisame had done the same, his lips directly covering Itachi’s.

Itachi’s heart ached with despair at the glass pane between them. He pressed his body firmly against the glass, trying to get as close to Kisame as possible. If only there was more time, more time so that he could run back up the stairs and fling himself into the water to be with Kisame, just for a moment or two.

The door rattled again impatiently.

“I’m coming!” shouted Izumi, her injured hand still buried in her pocket. Her remaining hand fumbled with the lock.

The door opened, and Kisame swam away back into the depths of the water. Disappointedly, Itachi peeled himself away from the glass, and stepped towards the door to join Izumi.

Youta and Kenji arrived, wearing a matching pair of dour, miserable expressions.

“They sent us here while the clan meeting happens,” sulked Youta. He slumped down on top of the metal box that hid the weapon. Itachi hoped his weight would cause the box to break open and the weapon to spike him.

“I don’t why they didn’t make you two stay here this evening,” scorned Kenji. He pointed to Izumi. “You’re only half Uchiha, and not even one of us.”

Itachi stepped forward, to take Izumi’s hand. He didn’t care who Izumi’s father was, only that she was a better clanswoman and ally to him than these two idiots had ever been.

Kenji turned to Itachi. “And no offense, although you used to be the prodigal heir, you’re no longer useful.”

Itachi narrowed his eyes. He felt Izumi squeeze his hand instead.

“They’re not worth it,” she whispered into his ear. Her breath tickled his earlobe and the side of his cheek. She turned back to face their cousins, her chin lifted with dignity. “We’ll be off. We’ve got stuff to do.”

Itachi knew she was right, and allowed Izumi tugged him out the door urgently, and they began to hurry back to the Compound.

 _‘Wait until it’s dark, and then meet me out here. I will have the master key,’_ Itachi signed. _‘Do me a favour, send a shadow clone to Shisui and tell him what’s happening. And if he can, tell him to join us.’_

“Of course, of course,” Izumi nodded. Almost uncharacteristically, especially considering they were in a highly public place with the eyes of the Uchiha Compound bearing down on them, Itachi flung his arms around her in gratitude, resting his head inside the little crook between her neck and shoulder. Izumi squeaked with surprise, but then patted his shoulder. “I’ll see you in five, right?”

Itachi nodded, and then ran back into his house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I simply can't wait to update with the next chapter! XD


	10. Rescue Attempt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Itachi carries out his plan to break Kisame out of captivity. Meanwhile, Fugaku hosts a clan meeting, but does he have an ulterior motive?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yes! here we have the chapter that I HAVE LITERALLY BEEN WAITING TO POST SINCE THE BEGINNING. Itachi rescues Kisame! <333
> 
> my personal headcanon is that Itachi and Sasuke tease each other about being in relationship with Shisui&Izumi and Naruto&Sakura depending on the situation.
> 
> i had a lot of fun switching to Fugaku's POV and writing the Uchiha clan meeting. and it was very fun writing Hazuki getting angry at Osamu XD
> 
> again, I wish to emphasis that Itachi&Shisui are underpowered in this fic compared to canon, due to the incident with Danzo. At this point in my fic, they're both starting to realise they can still use some of their abilities, maybe not to the same extent as previously, but functionally and with a lot of retraining up ahead of them.

“Are you two back together or something?” demanded Sasuke, the moment Itachi closed the front door behind himself.

 _‘How’s Sakura?’_ Itachi signed back in response, before poking Sasuke’s forehead. Sasuke immediately pouted, and Itachi signed again. _‘Been on any dates lately?’_

This time Sasuke flared red. “Shut up nii-san!”

 _‘Mind your own business, otouto,’_ Itachi signed, and then kicked off his shoes. He could hear Fugaku and Mikoto’s murmured voices from the dining room, and the savoury scent of whatever Mikoto had cooked for dinner wafted through the air. He stopped, silently, waiting to hear what Fugaku and Mikoto were discussing, and whether or not Fugaku was stationed in the dining room, or planning on leaving to come to the study.

Sasuke frowned, sensing his brother’s alertness. “What’s going on?”

 _‘Nothing,’_ Itachi signed back.

“Something’s going on,” Sasuke stated.

Itachi shook his head.

“Tell me!” protested Sasuke, reaching up and clinging to Itachi’s sleeve. “Nobody tells me anything! They’re all having another big meeting, that I’m not allowed to go to-”

Sasuke stopped as Itachi removed his hand and then pressed a finger against his lips.

 _‘What I am about to do is top secret,’_ he signed. _‘I need you to stay in this house and keep lookout for when the clan meeting finishes. Then I need you to send your shadow clone to me to tell me what’s happening.’_

Sasuke’s dark onyx eyes sparkled with intrigue. “Why? What’s happening?”

 _‘I need you to be quiet about this,’_ Itachi explained. _‘I need to get the master key from otou-san’s study.’_

“You’re stealing things?” Sasuke’s lips spread in a wide grin.

 _‘Borrowing,’_ Itachi corrected, before Mikoto and Fugaku appeared in the doorway.

“Clan meeting,” announced Fugaku. “Sasuke, you stay here. Itachi?”

Itachi scowled at his father. _‘I don’t want to come,’_ he signed back.

“All right, well, stay and look after your younger brother,” instructed Fugaku. Itachi couldn’t help but seem surprised that Fugaku backed down so quickly. Usually, he would have berated Itachi and nagged him to come. Instead, he decided to be grateful that this gave him more of an opportunity to carry out his plan. He glanced over Fugaku’s shoulder, out the window, at the various clan members making their way towards the venue of choice for the clan meeting.

“There’s a plate left on the side for you, Itachi, all you’ve got to do is heat it up,” replied Mikoto, wrapping a happi around her shoulders, before slipping on her shoes. She bent up to face her sons. “Are you sure you’ll be all right?”

“We’ll be fine!” Sasuke beamed. “We’re going to watch…um… _The Shining_.”

“No, you are most certainly not!” barked Fugaku, jabbing a pointed finger at Sasuke to emphasis his point. “You can watch a family movie, nothing else! Itachi, don’t let him put it on.”

 _‘Yes, otou-san,’_ signed Itachi.

“All right,” Fugaku growled, somewhat reassured. He wrapped his arm around Mikoto’s waist. “We’re off. Both of you, behave yourselves and whatever you both do, and I’m talking especially to you, Itachi, _don’t do anything stupid_. You know exactly what I mean. See you both later.”

“Bye otou-san,” waved Sasuke. As soon as their parents were out, and strolling towards the meeting area, Sasuke turned to face up to his brother. “Now?”

Immediately, the brothers raced to the study, and began to thump their way through Fugaku’s belongings. Itachi shifted past some papers, ignoring the love letter that had been restored to its original location. It felt like long ago since he and Sasuke had played their silly signing game together and found that. He continued to thump through, until there was a shout of triumph behind him. Sasuke held up a series of keys to all the buildings in the Uchiha Compound.

“One of them must be a master key,” stated Sasuke.

Itachi grabbed Sasuke by the shoulders, and kissed his forehead.

“Nii-san!” groaned Sasuke, but he looked pleased with himself.

Itachi held out his hand to accept the key, but Sasuke clutched it in a determined grasp. Itachi stared at him, and then scowled, holding his hand out insistently.

“I’m coming,” Sasuke announced proudly.

Itachi shook his head.

“Yes, I am!” insisted Sasuke. “I want to join in!”

Itachi shook his head firmly, then poked Sasuke’s forehead.

“No, nii-san, I want to help,” Sasuke stared at his brother defiantly. “I’m doing the chunin exam soon, it’s good practise!”

Itachi considered it.

 _‘I hope you are prepared to deal with the consequences if things do not go as planned,’_ he signed.

“Of course I am!” Sasuke insisted.

 _‘Fine,’_ agreed Itachi. He peered back out the window, watching as the stragglers made their way to the meeting. Hazuki had left her house, and Itachi noticed Izumi standing in the window, watching the clan as he did. Their eyes met briefly. Darkness was falling on the Compound, and soon it would be twilight, the darkest time of the day, when shadows danced across the land and not a single beam of light, from the sun or the moon, touched any object around.

He turned back to Sasuke. _‘Ready yourself for possible combat. Conceal your weapons.’_

Sasuke nodded. Both he and Itachi raced up the stairs to their rooms. Itachi reached onto his top shelf, and grabbed his katana and the kunai he had trained with earlier. He tied on his katana, concealing it under his civilian clothes.

He emerged from his room, collecting Sasuke. They darted back downstairs, and then they slipped their shoes back on. Itachi steeled himself, then took a deep breath. Outside of the window, the last stragglers disappeared. He waited, counting to ten, and then opened the front door, and then beckoned for Sasuke to follow him, slipping into the blind spots of the cameras towards Izumi’s house. To his credit, Sasuke followed and copied every single of Itachi’s footsteps perfectly, until they arrived outside.

“Are you ready?” asked Izumi. Her punctured hand was neatly bandaged, no doubt by Hazuki’s expert hands before she left, and in her other hand, she clutched her own kunai. Her eyes trailed over Sasuke.

“I’ve come to help!” Sasuke remained still, but quivered slightly. But Itachi knew his brother well, and knew that Sasuke was practically bouncing up and down with excitement.

Izumi ruffled his spiky hair. “How cute! Wait until we tell Kakashi-sensei what a lovely young student he has!”

“Knock it off!” protested Sasuke.

Itachi pressed his fingers to both their lips, listening on the wind for any snatches of voices of their clansmen. There were none.

A small origami butterfly perched on the branch of a tree beside Izumi’s house. Itachi blinked at it, wondering whether or not Izumi or Hazuki had been practising various arts and crafts and one had blown away. But now was not the time to ask.

 _‘Shisui,’_ Itachi signed, before leading the trio through the blind spots towards Shisui’s house. They moved silently and effectively, stopping for cover beneath one of Hiromasa’s neatly trimmed hedges.

Shisui appeared before them in a puff of smoke. Itachi realised that he was wearing one of his old training outfits, and that like Sasuke, Izumi, and Itachi himself, he was armed and likely concealing more weapons on his person.

“I thought oka-san said you weren’t supposed to use the Body Flicker?” asked Izumi.

“Once won’t hurt,” shrugged Shisui.

‘How do you feel?’ asked Itachi.

“My head hurts, but it’s manageable,” replied Shisui. He glanced around at the darkened Compound. “I prefer to be more active in the evenings anyway, there’s less light aggravating my head.”

 _‘Good,’_ signed Itachi. He glanced around at the three. _‘Ready?’_

They all nodded solemnly.

For the first time in months, Itachi activated his Sharingan. He felt the familiar burn and sting, but then like training with Izumi earlier in the day, it was like embracing an old friend. He blinked, several times, looking this way and that, readjusting to the Sharingan vision. He stared ahead at the storeroom, searching the area. There was Kenji and Youta’s chakra…but interestingly, none for Kisame.

Itachi frowned, and beckoned for his small ramshackle group to follow him.

They darted from shadow to shadow, out of sight of the cameras, crouching low wherever they had to. Once they reached outside of the storeroom, Itachi stepped forward, and slowly twisted the door handle.

Izumi clutched her kunai.

Shisui activated his remaining Sharingan.

Sasuke turned and inspected the empty Compound.

Itachi turned back to his brother for confirmation.

Sasuke nodded.

Itachi shoved open the door.

“Hey, Itachi, wha-” Youta barely finished his sentence before Itachi had taken care of him. His eyes glazed over completely. Kenji did the same, and then they both obediently sat down on the ground and went to sleep.

Itachi, Izumi, Shisui and Sasuke rushed in. Sasuke slammed the door behind them to prevent any extra intruders. Itachi rushed over to the tank and tapped lightly in the way that Kisame had become familiar to. Yet his fingers took on an urgent beat, as he hoped Kisame would understand what Itachi was intending to do. As soon as he heard the rush of water that Kisame was emerging at the top of the tank, Itachi left the glass pane and ran up the stairs to meet him.

“Holy shit,” breathed Sasuke, staring at the tank. Itachi remembered that Sasuke hadn’t met Kisame yet. He ignored his brother, and when he reached the top, quickly beckoned for Kisame to come closer.

Trustingly, Kisame swam towards him. Itachi immediately reached over and attempted to wrench away the neck collar with his bare hands.

“Sasuke, take your nii-san the key,” urged Izumi.

Sasuke ran up the stairs, and held out the series of keys. Itachi grabbed them, then tried the first one. He jammed it straight into the lock, and twisted. It wouldn’t open.

“The second one, then,” said Izumi. Her voice remained calm, but there was a quivering to her tone.

Shisui stared out of the walls of the room with his eye. “There’s no one coming, we still have time.”

Itachi shoved the second key in the lock, and twisted. It wouldn’t budge. He tried the third, then the fourth, then the fifth.

“Don’t panic, you’ll make it harder for yourself,” instructed Izumi.

By the sixth key, Itachi was getting frustrated. Kisame panted roughly. Itachi reached over and stroked the back of his neck, at the purpled skin where the collar had been chafing him.

He slid in the seventh key calmly, gave it another firm twist, and the collar slipped free. Itachi let it slither into the water, disappearing from sight with a plop and then a clunk as it hit the bottom of the tank. Kisame would never wear that again.

Itachi grabbed Kisame’s hands in his, and then began to pull him out of the water up onto the ledge. He struggled against the weight of Kisame’s muscles, but with a growl of strength and pain, Kisame was finally able to support himself by using his arms to clamour free onto the ledge.

Itachi slid an arm under Kisame’s shoulders, helping him upright and started to guide him down the stairs. But the man was weakened, and there were all kinds of injuries decorating his body. There were lacerations across his back, bruising littered his skin, and there was one particularly nasty-looking gash on his leg. His breathing was laboured and ragged.

Itachi groaned, at how horribly his clansmen had treated his friend, and for how on earth he and his little group were going to get an injured six foot four blue man across the Compound to Izumi’s house in time.

“Here, I’ll help,” Izumi slid her arm under Kisame’s shoulders, taking some of his weight as soon as they reached the ground.

“Hey, what’s going on?” Youta sat up, and stared directly at Itachi, Kisame and Izumi.

_Oh fuck._

Because his attention had been diverted to Kisame and the keys, Youta and Kenji had awoken from the genjutsu that Itachi had placed them in. He internally berated himself for growing complacent in his retirement from shinobi.

Izumi lifted her kunai, taking a slow threatening step forwards, keeping Kisame's weight on her shoulders but standing in front of him protectively.

"Get back. Don't even think about it," she hissed. Kenji and Youta both stared at her, then reached for their weapons. There was barely anymore time for them to react as Sasuke shoved his way in front of their group, the Sharingan he'd awoken from Itachi's slit throat active. Both Youta and Kenji stared gormlessly at Sasuke, then reclined back on the ground.

“Nice work, Sasuke!” Shisui ruffled Sasuke’s spiky hair. Sasuke wrestled him off, but flushed with pride that such a talented former jonin like Shisui had complimented him.

“Let’s go,” said Izumi, lowering the kunai.

Shisui opened the door, and saw that the Compound was still dark and silent. Only the wind whistled through the air.

“Perfect,” he whispered. “Blind spots?"

* * *

At the Naka Shrine, the Uchiha gathered in a semi-circle around Fugaku. Mikoto sat in the most honoured seat at his right, and to his left, sat Yakumi, who assisted Fugaku in his day-to-day duties. Yashiro, Tekka and Inabi had joined and sat in front of Yakumi. Mikoto’s parents sat before her, and beside them sat Ayako, Hiromasa, Chikao. Hazuki took her place at the back of the room. Torchlight flickered around the shrine, basking them in an eerie light where shadows played across their features, almost concealing them from one another.

“I suppose you must all be wondering why I called you here tonight,” began Fugaku. His eyes bored into Shou, Rikuto and Osamu, and then back to Yashiro, Tekka and Inabi. “Or maybe not.”

He allowed his eyes to flicker around the room, realising that Shisui was not present beside his parents. That didn’t surprise Fugaku, knowing full well the extent of Shisui’s chronic pain. At the back of the room, Izumi was not present beside her mother. Fugaku couldn’t decide whether this was an unusual occurrence to be concerned about or not. Hazuki had always attempted to break away from the clan, and encouraged her daughter to do the same. Yet Izumi always seemed to try and integrate herself to fit in with the clan and attempted to attend clan meetings as often as possible. She was loyal, and a good Uchiha. Fugaku had even earmarked the girl as a potential bride for Itachi, when the time came.

As for Itachi himself, Fugaku would normally have been surprised at Itachi’s refusal to attend. Itachi ought to have been sitting next to Fugaku, learning how to host and conduct a clan meeting. Fugaku was ready to even allow Itachi to lead one whilst supervising, although he supposed it might be difficult now that Itachi was mute. Perhaps Sasuke would interpret for him…his two sons had always been close, rather like their ancestors Madara and Izuna. Fugaku liked to think that there would be no betrayals between the pair of them after he passed, no attempting to gain the upper hand of each other, no wresting away the clan leadership title.

At least in his absence at the meeting, Fugaku only hoped that Itachi was using the time wisely.

“Before I begin, are there any grievances, other than the ones I intend to raise myself, that you might like to put forward?”

Rikuto raised his hand.

 _This is going to be about the damn captive_ , Fugaku thought to himself. He gestured to Rikuto, “Yes?”

“I saw a strange man coming out of Hazuki’s house last night,” announced Rikuto. At the back of the hall, Hazuki immediately stared at Rikuto with disgust. “He had long brown hair and white eyes, looked like a Hyuga. If they’re violating the women of our clan, then we-”

“He was invited,” barked Hazuki.

 _Not this again_ , Fugaku wanted to shake his head with despair. He turned to Hazuki. “You know, there is a curfew-”

“There is no curfew against visitors,” Hazuki replied firmly. Several of the older members of the clan began to tut and shake their heads, but Hazuki was not cowed.

Fugaku admired and wanted to respect his clanswoman, her way of thinking, her deft interpretations of the unfair rules imposed on the clan. He liked Hazuki, he genuinely did. She was a good friend to Mikoto, an intelligent woman, she had saved the life of his son. She had some insightful things to say regarding the way the Uchiha clan functioned and the problems with it. But Hazuki was not burdened with the task of leadership. Fugaku was. And Fugaku wished he had the opportunity to even think about and critique the clan sometimes.

He needed the authority here in this moment and time. Fugaku couldn’t help but feel frustration that she would answer him back in such a fashion and undermine him when he needed to command respect. Nonetheless, he transferred his frustration back to Rikuto, for bringing up the topic of Hazuki’s lovers yet again in such a public place.

“I’ll speak on the matter later. It’s not an urgent one,” he decided. Maybe he could delegate the task to Mikoto, and avoid the uncomfortable conversation with his clanswoman. His eyes flickered over the rest of the clan members. “Are there any other topics?”

“Speaking of the curfew, I spotted one of the girls climbing the wall wearing a skirt that was so short it should have been a belt, clutching a bottle of alcohol, clearly on her way to the Konoha nightclub!” scolded one of the older clansmen.

Fugaku almost wanted to catch Mikoto’s eye, and exchange a chuckle. Because he remembered exactly what Mikoto was like at that age.

“I’ll leave it to her parents to deal with her, whoever she is,” Fugaku retorted. His gaze lingered around the room again, wondering who her parents could be. “Is there anything else important that needs discussing before I go on?”

“There’s been lots of paper flying around the Compound lately,” stated Mikoto’s mother.

“Paper,” said Fugaku.

“Yes, paper!” Mikoto’s mother nodded. “Some of it folded up, like little butterflies. And some of it just lying around as sheets.”

“How strange,” agreed Fugaku. “Maybe someone’s study window was left open. Anyway, is there anything else?”

There was a silence.

“Finally,” said Fugaku. He turned back to Yashiro, Tekka and Inabi. He almost didn’t want to discuss the captive, knowing full well that to open the topic for debate would mean that once they left here, his clansmen and women might be too tempted to go and check on him further. If Itachi was making use of this time, as Fugaku hoped his clever son was, then that would be the worst thing that could happen.

“It has been brought to my attention that the village has grown suspicious of our behaviour these past few days,” announced Fugaku. “My clansmen Yashiro, Tekka and Inabi came to me, and have mentioned that members of the village who monitor our surveillance cameras have mentioned that they have noticed several of our members spending long periods of time inside the storeroom, and that they have witnessed some unusual behaviour and injuries.”

When he said ‘injuries,’ he looked directly at Shou, who cradled his bandaged hand in his lap.

It felt better to confront Shou, Rikuto and Osamu. Now that he had Yashiro, Tekka and Inabi to back him up with their findings, Fugaku was able to justify his scolding and impose his will on them. Now the first three clansmen would no longer be able to stir discord that Fugaku was out for them. The opportunity had presented itself perfectly.

“We cannot afford warfare and further animosity,” said Fugaku. “The captive needs to go before they start searching through the Compound.”

“Who cares what the village want?” demanded Osamu. “They shouldn’t be filming us.”

“It was agreed, as per the terms of the treaty and to ensure no further bloodshed,” replied Fugaku. All eyes turned to Mikoto, Danzo’s murderess.

Osamu shook his head. “If we’ve got the perfect soldier, and that's what our captive is, then we can drain all their chakra and overthrow them in a heartbeat. You’ll be Hokage, Fugaku-sama.”

There were murmurs of approval around the room. It was tempting, to listen to them, but Fugaku knew better now.

“An empty promise,” he scolded. He stood above Osamu, and glared down at him. “What’s to say you won’t stab me in the back the moment my back is turned to take the Hokage title for yourself?”

“I wouldn’t do that!” spluttered Osamu.

“No, perhaps not,” agreed Fugaku. “But someone could, and someone would. No matter who you are, there will always be someone bigger and better than you waiting in the wings for your weakest moment. I could dispose our Hokage, and then be disposed myself. You propose a continuation of the cyclical nature of warfare, I prefer to seek a more lasting solution to our concerns.”

“Who told you that?” frowned Shou.

“My son did,” Fugaku answered honestly. “No more talk of coups. There won’t be one. That is final.”

“But-” began Yashiro.

“There won’t be one,” said Fugaku firmly. Several sets of disappointed eyes stared back at him, including Ayako’s. It was strange, Fugaku reflected, how the same incident involving their two sons had caused their opinions to change. He decided to carry on, and remind the Uchiha of the positive new terms they lived under. “Danzo is dead. I am on good terms with the Hokage. We will re-integrate back in with our fellow villagers in time.”

“They’ll never-” Rikuto began.

“They will, if you play nicely,” barked Fugaku.

Shou lifted his head. “Hey, Fu, listen here, we know you’re upset about what happened to your kid but-”

“Don’t. Call. Me. Fu,” spat Fugaku.

He heard Mikoto snigger with laughter.

“We know you’re upset about what happened to Itachi, and we know why you’re being cautious,” Shou tried again. “But think of it. This village is our heritage. It’s our history. We deserve to rule it and take our rightful place as leaders.”

There were more murmurs of approval. Fugaku wanted to kick them, wondering how a clan meeting that was aimed at discussion of the captive had turned to discussion of coups.

“Have you not heard a word that Fugaku just said?” Hazuki raised her voice. It was strange for her to be so vocal in a clan meeting, Fugaku noted. Usually Hazuki only attended with reluctance, and sat at the back, biting her words back. “He’s spoken of the foolishness of seizing power, as he is aware that it will cause others in the village to consider doing so. Even if we were to foil such attempts, there are further implications, such as intervention from other villages. Like…Kirigakure, for example. And something tells me they would have a lot of reason to seek revenge on us. As of now, Danzo is gone. ROOT has been disbanded. Our main oppressor no longer spreads his poison and his vermin no longer crawl through our nest. We are restoring relations with the village in good time.”

“What do you know, you stupid bitch? You have no pride in the Uchiha name. You married out of here and brought your bastard brat back with you when your husband got himself killed!” Osamu barked, turning to face his clanswoman with contempt.

“Listen to me, little man,” spat Hazuki, rising from her seat and pacing forwards. There was a fire in her dark eyes, and a hurricane emerging on her tongue. Fugaku inwardly winced, wondering what on earth she had been stirring up this whole time. “I don’t want to be quarantined in this disgusting Compound with you any second longer than I have to be. I want my job back. I want my money back. I want my pride and my dignity and my life back. I want to help women around the world deliver their babies safely as is their goddamn right to do so. But instead, because of the childish petty behaviour of ambitious fools like you, starting conflicts and fighting people, I am stuck here, distrusted, my potential and my skills and my years of experience and knowledge wasting away. But most of all, never _ever_ refer to my daughter in such a vile fashion ever again!”

One of the torchlights guttered out, leaving Hazuki standing in the middle of the room as a dark figure with glowering eyes. Mikoto rose from her seat, swept towards the back of the room, and steered her clanswoman back to hers, murmuring calming words. Fugaku felt a warmth of gratitude towards his wife, and resolved to take her out for dinner one evening as a nice surprise.

“That’s enough, Osamu,” he warned, from the front of the room. “Hazuki is a good woman who has done a lot for this clan, whether you appreciate it or not. And for the wider community, if you would bother to look outside more. There are many children safely brought into this world because of her. Respect that.”

Ayako nodded at Osamu, touching her stomach where beneath her haori and kosode, lay the silvery scar where Hazuki had pulled Shisui free over twenty years ago. Osamu was forced to concede, and settled for glaring at Hazuki as she sat back down. Mikoto returned to her seat beside Fugaku.

“I want to get back to our topic of discussion,” said Fugaku. “The captive.”

“This captive is a waste of our time and resources!” said Tekka firmly.

“It will provoke unnecessary conflict with the village before we’re prepared for it,” added Inabi.

“Should we release him, then?” asked Hiromasa. “Maybe we could take him out of the village then let him go.”

“Don’t be a fool, Hiromasa,” scolded Yashiro. “We’ll be caught sneaking him out. We need to get rid of the body.”

“The body?” repeated Hiromasa, somewhat startled. “But he’s not-”

“Precisely,” nodded Yashiro. “It doesn’t matter how we dispose of him, so long as he doesn’t live to tell the tale, no one will ever know what’s happened.”

“I suppose before we do that, we could vivisect him, find out more about his chakra,” agreed Shou.

Fugaku remained silent, allowing his clansmen to speak openly between each other. That would give them the impression that there was an open discussion on this topic. And, as Fugaku glanced outside at the rising moon, give Itachi what he needed the most. Time.

“But that’s horrible,” protested Hiromasa. “You caught him in battle, brought him back to interrogate for information…that’s fair…but you don’t have to hurt or kill him!”

“Hiromasa, you know nothing of warfare or battles. You sat at home babysitting Shisui,” scorned Rikuto.

Hiromasa’s expression darkened. “I didn’t babysit my own son, that’s called being a dad. And I’m glad I did, because my son is a charming young man and not an arsehole like yourself.”

Hazuki’s laugh echoed from the back of the room.

“That’s enough!” ordered Fugaku. “Has everyone said what they wanted to say?”

“I have more I want to add,” Ayako raised her voice. “If it wasn’t for my husband overseeing the duties of childcare I would not have been able to save your ass in Kumogakure, Rikuto!”

Rikuto blushed.

“You nearly got us captured!” Ayako argued.

“Enough!” shouted Fugaku. As the room quietened and the eyes of his clansmen and women stared expectantly at him again, Fugaku spoke again. “I want us to come to an agreement before we leave tonight. And I don’t care how long it takes.”

“We want it gone,” said Inabi, raising his voice so that it echoed around the room. “We don’t care how, so long as the body is disposed of safely and cannot be linked to our clan. Then we will continue to attend matters regarding our position in the village.”

Fugaku glanced out amongst the room. “Who agrees with Inabi?”

A few hands raised.

“I think we should release him,” said Hiromasa.

“I second my brother’s words,” added Chikao. He lifted his head, turning to face all the different Uchiha in turn and speak to them directly. “It’s the safest and most honest option. We should find out the name of the captive and then negotiate with delegates of Kiri. He could be wanted by them and we could claim the ransom. And I think we ought to give our captive some more comfortable accommodation. I don’t think the village would care if we took a captive in battle but then treated them fairly.”

“Who agrees with Chikao and Hiromasa?” asked Fugaku.

Hazuki’s hand raised, Ayako’s hand raised. Even Naori raised her hand. Behind him, he heard the rustle as Mikoto raised her hand too.

“It’s a beast,” stated Shou. “Kiri hasn’t made a sound at all so far. I doubt they even want it back.”

A few hands lowered.

 _For goodness sake,_ Fugaku thought to himself. He glanced back out the window at the risen moon. _Come on, Itachi. Be the clever young man I know you are._

* * *

With Kisame limping between them, Itachi guided him and Izumi to the first safe covered place. As they left the storeroom, Kisame glanced back, almost longingly at the metal box that Itachi and Izumi had rummaged through earlier. He lifted his hand, outstretching his fingers, as if he expected to catch something.

Itachi shook his head, before signing with his free hand. _‘Safe first.’_

Kisame reluctantly allowed them to guide him to the next spot. Itachi sagged under how much weight Kisame was forced to divert to him with his injuries, and noticed Izumi doing the same. He would have asked Shisui to help, but didn’t want to risk aggravating any of Shisui’s joint pain, in addition to the migraines he suffered with.

It wouldn’t be too long, anyway, Itachi consoled himself. They crossed the opening of the Compound, past Rikuto’s house, and into the shadows, where they swiftly moved past a cluster of trees.

“Not long now,” said Shisui, as his house moved into view. Itachi’s home, the largest of them all, loomed a few houses away, and then Izumi’s smaller house, nestled behind another corner.

Sasuke hurried behind them, disguising their chakra signatures. Itachi was filled with respect and pride in his young brother, and thought to himself that he’d have to buy Sasuke a new pair of shurikens to make up for this.

Shisui suddenly sagged, and then clutched his head. His expression had turned pale and clammy, a stark contrast against his black curls and the black eyepatch that Naori had given him. Several veins popped in his forehead, pulsating rapidly.

“Shisui, what is it?” asked Izumi, peering over at their cousin from where she supported Kisame.

“Body Flicker…catching up on me,” he moaned.

“For goodness sake, turn your Sharingan off. We’ve got ours,” urged Izumi.

“A bit longer won’t hurt,” replied Shisui. He stood upright, and continued to lead the way. Then he stopped.

“What is it?” whispered Izumi.

“I can hear voices,” hissed Shisui. “The clan meeting. It must be finished.”

“Oh fuck,” muttered Izumi.

They all stopped, loitering in the shadows. Bubbles of murmurs rose in the distance, from the rest of the clan as they made their way back towards the houses. On the horizon, dark figures moved into view, growing and growing every second.

“What do we do?” asked Sasuke. “Make a break for it? Can we get to Izumi’s in time?”

Itachi, knowing how badly injured Kisame was and how much slower they were going to be as they carried on, shook his head. He gestured towards their house with his hand.

“Our house?” asked Sasuke. “Otou-san will go nuts!”

Itachi nodded positively, before urging their group to run. Kisame hobbled, groaning with pain at the back of his throat. Itachi noted that he was still bare foot from being kept captive in the tank. He internally berated himself for not thinking to bring Kisame some shoes. The whole plan had been so poorly put together, that Itachi was almost ashamed. But what could he do?

“We’re not going to make it,” Shisui hissed, as more and more of the Uchiha moved into visible sight. “If we can see them…they’ll be able to see us!”

“Keep going!” Izumi urged, quickening her pace.

“But we’re walking right into them!” protested Sasuke. “They’ll reach us before we get inside.”

“I’ve got a better idea,” said Shisui. Before Itachi or any of his companions could ask him what he meant, Shisui grabbed a hold of Izumi, Itachi, Kisame, and then Sasuke. And then he was whisked off of his feet, and he stood in the hallway of his house, as calm as he had left it.

Shisui sagged against the wall, clutching his head. Itachi stared at him, almost in disbelief.

“I’m fine,” Shisui dismissed. He lifted his hand in dismissal. “Go. Take Kisame upstairs.”

“Sasuke, you come with me and close all the windows and curtains!” instructed Izumi. She began snapping shut all the curtains, and Sasuke copied, switching on the lights in the front room and turning the television on to disguise their noise.

Itachi bent down again, helping Kisame upright, as they faced the stairs. He heard Kisame hiss with pain at every step. At least they didn’t have far to go until they were in his room. At the top of the stairs, Itachi leaned over and pushed open the door to his room. As soon as they were in, he guided Kisame to his en suite, where he yanked on the hot and cold taps of his bath tub. Kisame practically collapsed into the filling tub gratefully. Itachi sighed, relieved, and then gently splashed some of the water over the gills on Kisame’s shoulders. Briefly, Itachi wondered if Kisame needed to be in water semi-permanently, or if he could live on both land and water.

As far as Itachi knew, Kisame was comfortable in the water. And the water would soothe his injuries and prevent them from becoming infected. At least until Hazuki was here.

Itachi re-emerged from the bathroom to discover Shisui crawling on his hands and knees up the stairs, sweat gleaming on his forehead and sticking his curls to his skin. He staggered into Itachi’s room, clamoured up onto his bed, collapsing on his back.

Shisui opened his remaining eye, and gave the thumbs up sign to Itachi.

Itachi shook his head, exasperatedly.

“Itachi, get down here!” called Izumi, staring out the front room window through a crack in the curtains. “They’ve just realised he’s gone!”

Sasuke sat on the edge of the sofa, peering over her shoulder and sniggering.

Itachi peered out, and noticed that all of the lights of the houses in the Compound were on. The storeroom door was flung wide open, and he could see the figures of Shou, Osamu and Rikuto.

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN, HE’S GONE?!” demanded Rikuto. The angry shout echoed around the Compound.

Youta and Kenji just stared, dumbfounded.

Itachi shut the curtains, and turned back to his group to sign. _‘We have to tidy up.’_

“Oh! Right!” Sasuke quickly began to arrange the living room to look like he and Itachi had been watching movies the whole time. Izumi kicked off her shoes and slumped on the sofa, Itachi slumped next to her, and then Sasuke joined them, slouching against Itachi and putting his feet up on the coffee table. They gazed idly at the television screen.

The door to the house swung open.

“Boys!” shouted Fugaku.

“Yes dad?” called Sasuke.

“Meeting’s finished, there’s an emergency,” Fugaku strode into view, followed by Mikoto. “The captive is gone.”

“Oh really?” asked Sasuke, lifting his head from where he rested it on Itachi’s shoulder. “Didn’t notice. We were watching _The Shining_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what did you think? I am so eager to find out what you guys thought! <33


	11. Care

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With their rescue attempt successful, Itachi now has to begin the difficult task of keeping Kisame hidden in his parents' house. And more importantly, try and help his new friend recover.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you again for all the love on my last chapter! Kisame is free, yay!
> 
> just as a heads up...i'm dreadful at remembering/understanding how jutsus and chakra works. so I don't even know if what Hazuki says about Kisame's chakra makes sense XD  
> if anyone understands these things better than me then feel free to let me know and i'll see what I can do to improve it!

“Where’s my son?” demanded Ayako, charging through the open door of Fugaku and Mikoto’s house. Her head swivelled back and forth, with a wild desperate look in her eyes. “I left him in his bed. He’s not there. Where is he?”

“Shisui is missing?” asked Osamu, waddling up the stairs and onto the veranda. “Shisui is missing and our captive is missing? Looks a little suspicious, don’t you think?”

Itachi’s breath immediately hitched at the back of his throat.

“Don’t be so ridiculous,” scoffed Izumi, folding her arms as she stepped into the doorway to block Osamu from gaining entrance to the house. Her smaller petite frame contrasted against Osamu’s portly build and Itachi wondered how long he would stay barred. But the past few weeks had taught him not to underestimate Izumi. “Do you really think a chronic pain sufferer like Shisui could have smuggled himself and a six foot four blue man out of the Compound?”

“Well along with Itachi, he’s always been a devious little shit,” muttered Osamu.

“Beg your pardon?” demanded Ayako, shoving Izumi aside and narrowing her eyes at her clansman.

 _‘He is upstairs,’_ signed Itachi. _‘Let him sleep.’_

“What did he say?” asked Osamu.

Sasuke sidled up behind his brother. “He said Shisui is upstairs and you should let him sleep.”

“Why is he here?” asked Ayako, turning back to face Itachi, Sasuke and Izumi with a frown. “I left him in his own bed.”

‘We didn’t want him to feel left out,’ Itachi explained.

“Explain,” demanded Osamu, as Shou and Rikuto joined him on the veranda. “And perhaps also explain why you weren’t at the meeting?”

Izumi lifted her nose in the air, in an obvious imitation of her mother. “You made your feelings on my attendance at your clan meetings very clear.”

“All right, that’s enough!” Fugaku interrupted. He turned to Itachi, Izumi and Sasuke. “Is Shisui all right?”

“He’s fine,” said Izumi. “We just put a film on and then his head hurt, so we put him to bed in Itachi’s room, right?”

“That’s right,” said Sasuke. He lifted the television remote and let his finger hover over the ‘play’ button. “Now can I go and find out what happens next?”

“It’s time for you three to leave,” announced Mikoto to Osamu, Shou and Rikuto, as they clustered in the doorway. “Ayako will check on her son.”

“I’m going to find where the captive is,” growled Rikuto.

“You do that,” replied Mikoto. “But it’s not in my house.”

And with that, Mikoto shut the front door in the faces of the three men.

“Where is he?” asked Ayako.

Itachi’s breath hitched again, as he frantically tried to remember whether or not he closed his bathroom door as he rushed back downstairs to greet his returning parents. And most importantly, if he and Kisame had left any damp footprints upstairs. He hadn’t had a chance to check.

“He’s asleep,” repeated Izumi.

“I know that, I just want to be sure he’s all right,” replied Ayako.

Izumi glanced at Itachi.

 _‘I’ll go,’_ Itachi signed. He rushed up the stairs so that he was several paces ahead of Ayako, and then hesitated outside of his door. Slowly, he pushed it ajar.

A chink of light fell across Shisui’s sleeping face. His black curls splayed across Itachi’s pillow. Itachi sighed with relief, and then his eyes scanned the floor. He opened the door a little more, and then noticed a speck of blood, contrasting against the neutral beige of his carpet.

Shit.

Itachi pulled the door again half-closed again, blocking the light from falling on Shisui and the speck of blood.

“Is he asleep?” asked Ayako, arriving behind him. Itachi nodded and Ayako peered in at her sleeping son. “Shisui, sweetheart?”

“What is it?” mumbled Shisui into Itachi’s pillow.

“Are you all right, honey? Do you want to come home? Or do you want to stay here?”

“Just sleep…” murmured Shisui, pressing his forehead firmly against Itachi’s pillow. His fingertips clutched at the fabric of the pillowcase. “Let me sleep…sleep here…”

Ayako covered her mouth with her hand. “Are you in any pain?”

“Head…as usual…” groaned Shisui. “Just let me sleep…”

“All right, I’m going back and have dinner with your dad. Call us if you need us,” instructed Ayako.

Shisui lifted a hand to wave at her.

“If he wants to stay, we’ll take good care of him. You know we will,” added Mikoto, coming up the stairs. Ayako didn’t say a thing, but turned and fell into her clanswoman’s arms. Mikoto held her tightly, and then patted Ayako’s shoulder, her fingers brushing against Ayako’s dark curls, so like her sons.

“When I got home…and he wasn’t there…I just…” Ayako whispered.

“It’s all right, I know. It’s been a long evening,” Mikoto released her, and then held her hands on Ayako’s shoulders. “Do you want anything to drink?”

“No, I should get back and let Hiromasa know he’s all right,” said Ayako, with a shake of her head. The black curls that Shisui had inherited bounced along with her head. Itachi wished she would hurry up and leave, so that he could go back in and check on Kisame.

Ayako allowed Mikoto to guide her back down the stairs, whilst Itachi sighed with relief. He slipped into his room. Shisui had fallen back into sleep, but stretched out and taken over the entirety of Itachi’s bed. Itachi knew there would be no way that he would be able to sleep in his own bed tonight. He allowed his eyes to adjust to the dark, and then realised he had left his bathroom door open. Relief washed over him as he had thought better than to allow Ayako inside to see her son. He crept back into the bathroom, and then knelt on the bath mat beside Kisame.

Kisame lounged back in the tub, his eyes closed. Itachi just realised how very ashen and exhausted the man looked compared to when he had first arrived at the Uchiha Compound. Itachi reached over, and gently touched his shoulder. The gills under his fingers wriggled. It felt strange, but kind of cool, too.

 _‘He’s beautiful,’_ Itachi thought to himself.

Kisame opened his eyes, as gazed up at his rescuer.

 _‘Stay quiet,’_ signed Itachi. _‘Rest here.’_

Kisame nodded.

 _‘I will bring food,’_ Itachi signed. _‘Tomorrow I will bring a medic.’_

Kisame nodded again.

Itachi reached across and gently ran his thumb across the smaller gills across Kisame’s cheek bones. Kisame’s large hand reached up and covered Itachi’s, and gave him a small squeeze, before pressing it to his lips and pecking a small kiss on Itachi’s fingers. Itachi's heart skipped a beat, and then his cheeks flushed petal pink.

Itachi could have happily sat gazing at Kisame all night, but he still had to attend to his family downstairs. He released his hand from Kisame's, climbed up, closing the door carefully, before heading back downstairs.

“…can’t believe you put it on, even when I specifically told you not to!” Fugaku ranted.

“I’m nearly a chunin! I’m going to see worse on Shinobi duty…what’s the problem?” Sasuke whined.

“If I tell you not to do something, you don’t do it,” Fugaku growled.

Izumi waited in the hallway. Her eyes lit up when she saw him. “Itachi. I’m off.”

 _‘Goodbye,’_ signed Itachi.

Izumi leaned in and wrapped her arms around him. At first Itachi was stunned by her overt display of affection, but then her lips met his earlobe.

“First thing tomorrow, when your family is out, Oka-san will come over and heal Kisame,” she murmured in a low whisper. Itachi’s shoulders relaxed. Izumi released him, then patted his shoulder. “I’ll see you tomorrow. You take care now. Let me know when you’re free to hang out.”

Itachi nodded, and then showed her to the door. Outside, the Uchihas roamed in all directions, looking for the captive. Itachi wanted to break down laughing at them all, but held his laughter in.

Izumi ran down the veranda stairs, and then across the Compound to her smaller house. Hazuki waited on their front porch for her daughter. She raised her hand in greeting to Itachi, and Itachi returned the gesture, before ducking back inside.

“I think it escaped,” said Mikoto. She had changed into her nightdress, and wrapped her dressing gown around herself. “When I looked at it, it looked powerful. It must have escaped. How did they think it would stay under just a few chains?”

“Apparently they were chakra suppressing chains,” replied Fugaku. He had yet to undress and prepare for bed, and wandered around the house bare foot.

“Still, that doesn’t affect brute strength,” stated Mikoto. “I’m glad it’s gone.”

“I hope he doesn’t come back seeking revenge,” Fugaku added. His eyes met Itachi’s, and they exchanged a glance.

 _‘Does he know?’_ Itachi thought. _‘Was his meeting a cover for me?’_

He felt his respect for his father rise.

“I’m going to get some sleep,” said Fugaku, stifling a yawn. “They wanted me up and searching for him, but he’s not my problem, he’s theirs. We should all get some sleep.”

Mikoto nodded, and then they headed up the stairs. Mikoto wrapped her arm around Fugaku’s waist, and he wrapped his around her shoulders. Itachi watched them turn into their room, close the door shut, before turning to Sasuke.

“That was so cool,” Sasuke grinned. “That was so cool! You’re the best nii-san ever!”

Itachi ruffled Sasuke’s spiky hair, and then lifted his fingers to poke Sasuke’s forehead.

“Hey!” Sasuke protested.

Itachi removed his fingers, then began to sign. _‘Can I sleep in your bed? Shisui is still in mine.’_

“Sure, nii-san,” nodded Sasuke.

Ten minutes later, they squashed together in Sasuke’s bed, like they would have done as children. To fit comfortably, Itachi spooned around his younger brother, and wrapped a protective arm across his brother’s waist. With his free hand, he tapped the back of Sasuke’s hand.

“Hmm?” asked Sasuke, turning his head slightly.

Itachi drew an I over the back of Sasuke’s hand, then an L, and then a Y. ILY. _I love you._

* * *

As the next morning dawned, Itachi woke early, and slipped free from Sasuke. Sasuke curled sleepily into a ball, murmuring nonsensical words. He slid downstairs, and began to boil some water on the oven hob. Carefully selecting a tray, a kettle pot, cups and saucers, he spooned in some tea leaves into the kettle, poured in the boiling water, to allow it to brew. When everything was ready, he began to carry it upstairs to his room.

Balancing the tray in one hand, he opened his bedroom door with the other, and crept inside. Shisui was still laid out asleep on his bed. There were patches of sweat across Itachi’s bed, and his curls stuck to his clammy forehead. Itachi worried his lip, wondering if their misadventures last night had caused further problems for him.

He opened the door to his bathroom, and then slid inside. Kisame lay sleeping in the water. He looked so peaceful compared to how he had looked the last few times Itachi had seen him. Morning sunlight lit the small bathroom up in a golden glow.

Quietly, Itachi brought the tray of tea over to Kisame’s side, and then laid it on the ledge of the bath tub. Kisame’s eyes flickered open.

 _‘Tea,’_ signed Itachi.

 _‘Tea,’_ Kisame signed back.

With the perfect flair of expertise, he poured a cup for Kisame, and then a cup for himself. Itachi always thought that if not for his role as clan heir, and therefore a shinobi, he would have made the perfect geisha and pulled off a flawless tea ceremony. He held out the cup to Kisame, who accepted it with his large fingers. Itachi lifted his cup with a polite gesture, then took a sip. Kisame copied.

In silent solemnity, they sat sipping tea as the room grew lighter.

Soon enough, he heard the scrape of Fugaku and Mikoto’s door as Fugaku awoke early to relieve himself. He heard the creaking as Mikoto shifted in bed, and then Sasuke’s alarm blared. He heard Shisui groan as he woke up, and soon the Uchiha household came to life.

Itachi rose to his feet.

 _‘Wait for me,’_ he signed to Kisame. He picked up the tea tray, and then carried it back into his room.

“Hey,” greeted Shisui, sitting upright and yawning loudly. “How’s Kisame?”

Itachi couldn’t sign, as his hands were full, so he smiled.

“That’s good,” Shisui settled back against the pillows. Itachi sat down on the bed next to him, and held out his used cup, and poured Shisui a cup of tea from what was left. Shisui drained the cup gratefully.

_‘How do you feel?’_

“Worn out,” admitted Shisui. “I’m going to need a few days to recover.”

_‘Thank you.’_

“Don’t thank me. It was the right thing to do,” Shisui laid the teacup back down on Itachi tray and then settled back against the pillows, his eyes half-closed.

Itachi picked up the tray, and carried it downstairs. Mikoto shuffled around sleepily, boiling some more water.

“Good morning, sweetheart,” she greeted, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and pecking his forehead lightly. “Did you sleep ok?”

Itachi laid down the tray on the kitchen worktop. _‘Fine. Shisui and I had some tea.’_

“How is he feeling?”

 _‘Tired,’_ Itachi signed, and left it at that. Mikoto started to pull out all of the breakfast things, and started to prepare a meal for the family. Itachi helped her, adding extra for Kisame whenever she looked the other way. Soon enough, Fugaku appeared in the doorway, and Sasuke bounded after. Shisui wandered downstairs, adjusting his eyepatch, and joined them at the table.

“Is this all right for you, Shisui?” asked Mikoto.

“It’s fine, thanks oba-san,” replied Shisui. The family ate together in silence, still contemplating the turn of events of last night. Sasuke shared glances with Itachi, but Itachi refused to meet his gaze, knowing the importance of not giving a thing away.

“I’ve got training today,” announced Sasuke.

“Say hi to Kakashi from me,” said Shisui.

“I will,” nodded Sasuke.

 _‘Don’t forget to give Naruto a kiss,’_ signed Itachi.

“I am NOT going to kiss Naruto!” Sasuke flared red.

 _‘Again?’_ Itachi signed.

“Boys,” warned Fugaku.

Shisui snickered.

“I’ll be training my girls, like usual,” said Mikoto. "After the events of last night, if there's a captive on the loose, I think they're going to need it."

“And I suppose I’ll be sorting out the mess in the storeroom,” grunted Fugaku. “The sooner that tank is out of there, the better. Life can go on as normal.”

Itachi glanced out the window. A small origami butterfly pressed against the glass pane. Itachi frowned, recalling he had seen one outside of Izumi’s house last night. Maybe it had fluttered through the Compound on the early summer breeze. He turned back to his family, as Fugaku climbed up. Sasuke bolted out the house, grabbing his packed lunch from Mikoto as he went, before running to his training. Mikoto began to pick up the breakfast things, but Itachi reached out and took them from her. He shook his head.

“Are you sure, sweetheart?”

Itachi nodded.

Mikoto left to get ready for the day, whilst Itachi prepared another breakfast from the leftovers.

“When are Izumi and Hazuki coming over?” mouthed Shisui.

“Later,” Itachi mouthed back, as he heard Mikoto’s footsteps on the stairs. He still couldn’t quite believe that he had managed to smuggle Kisame into his house like this.

“Bye boys!” called Mikoto.

“Bye oba-san!” Shisui called back. He leant forwards on the table, and pressed his palm against his forehead with a low groan. “You know, if you need an excuse for why Hazuki is here, say it’s because of me, ok?”

Itachi nodded, then carried up the tray to Kisame. Kisame was practically dozing again when Itachi lightly tapped his shoulder. He laid the tray on the edge of the bath and signed. _‘Eat this.’_

Kisame sat up, and flexed his shoulders. Itachi glanced at the water that Kisame had been relaxing in, and to his horror, discovered that it was red. He laid a hand across Kisame’s broad back, and was horrified when he removed it to see that it covered in blood. Quickly, he grabbed a towel, and began to dab at the wounds again. Kisame grunted with pain.

One hand gripped the side of the bath, and he stood himself upright. Itachi took a step back. In the dark urgency last night, he hadn’t truly acknowledged just how tall Kisame was. He took a step out of the bath, grappling the side of the sink for support.

 _‘Rest,’_ Itachi signed frantically. _‘You must rest!’_

Kisame shook his head, and lifted his other leg out of the bath.

Itachi glanced around, taking a better look at Kisame’s back. One white hand covered his mouth. He reached across with the towel, frantically dabbing at the blood.

Kisame leant over the sink for support, his face scrunched, almost as if he was willing himself to recover. Itachi watch his brows furrow in concentration, but seemingly nothing happened.

Maybe the bath hadn’t been a good idea. As his uncles had held Kisame captive in the water, Itachi had just assumed that would be the best place for him to rest. Maybe for all his shark-like traits, what Kisame needed was an actual bed.

Itachi wrapped his arm under Kisame’s shoulders, trying to avoid the lacerations and bleeding wounds. Allowing Kisame to lean on him, he guided him out of the bathroom, into his room, and into the bed that Shisui had vacated. Itachi knew himself to be a fairly clean individual, knew Shisui was a clean individual too, and that allowing Kisame to rest in his bed would be of little harm. Kisame sank down on his front, and buried his face in Itachi’s pillow. He gave a loud groan of pain.

“Sssh,” Itachi urged, using one of the few sounds that had been left to him to comfort Kisame with. Either Fugaku or Mikoto could arrive back unexpected at any moment. He reached across, and gently stroked his fingers through Kisame’s navy spike of hair. Without the water, it felt surprisingly soft.

“Is this my patient?”

Itachi had never been so grateful to see Hazuki in all his life. She stood wrapped in a plain dark yukata with the sleeves already pushed up. Her hair was gathered behind her head, tied back in a sensible braid. Behind her stood Izumi, clutching Hazuki’s medical kit in both of her hands.

Itachi climbed up, stepped aside and ushered Hazuki straight in. Immediately she knelt down beside Kisame, whilst Izumi darted over to Itachi.

Izumi gazed up at him with her wide dark eyes. “Is he all right?”

Itachi shook his head. _‘I don’t know.’_

“It’s Kisame, right?” asked Hazuki. Kisame nodded. “I’m Hazuki, I’m Izumi’s mother. I’m a medical nin, I specialise in midwifery and neonatal care, but I am trained and capable of dealing with battle wounds. I made chunin whilst on active duty. I’m going to take a look at you and hopefully help to feel better. I’m sorry I couldn’t come sooner.”

Kisame stared at her warily.

“You're a Hoshigaki, aren't you? I've met some of your clan, many years ago when I travelled through the Five Great Shinobi Countries, although there aren't many of you left now. I even delivered one of your babies. I don't suppose you'd remember...maybe you'd have been too young," Hazuki gazed at Kisame, her eyes scanning his features to see if she could recognised him. She reached over, and took one of his large hands in two of hers. Her braid slid over her shoulder as she tilted her head to look empathetically up at him. "Could you maybe tell me what happened? How did they capture you?”

Kisame shook his head fiercely, and glowered at her. His hand froze between hers. Itachi wondered if Kisame was prideful, and felt embarrassed by his capture. He remembered feeling like that during his recuperation too.

“All right,” said Hazuki gently. She turned to face Itachi. “This reminds me of the time your father was captured by some rogue Iwa nin to try and steal his Sharingan, and then Mikoto led a jonin team of myself and Ayako to rescue him. It was ever so romantic.”

Izumi coughed, concealing a fit of giggles. Itachi shook his head. Somehow, he’d never heard that story from either of his parents whenever they recounted their courtship. Hazuki turned back to Kisame, who had relaxed somewhat. Her hands began to glow green with chakra. Itachi watched as she gently laid her palm against Kisame’s shoulder.

“You have very high chakra levels,” stated Hazuki. She moved her hand back and forth over his skin, almost as if she was reacting to it. “Almost unlimited. So why aren’t they…”

Hazuki trailed off, losing herself to her own thoughts. Her brows furrowed in concentration, and then she laid on her hands on Kisame’s forehead.

“You’re hot, very hot. That indicates an infection, which makes sense considering the depths of the wounds I’ve seen.”

Itachi listened as Hazuki murmured her medical information. He understood bits, pieces, fragments that he recalled uttered whilst on missions as the medical-nins tended to the wounded. But he trusted Hazuki’s judgement, as always. She had been the one to save him and Shisui.

* * *

_When his eyes opened, the first thing he saw was Mikoto lying slumped across the end of the bed he lay in. Her arm was flung across his waist, her hand covering his. On the other side of the room, Hazuki lay collapsed across a chair, her head drooping low against the arm rest and her braid dishevelled. He couldn’t move his head at all. The pain in his throat was too much too move, and the thick wad of gauze covering his neck meant he couldn’t move, even if he wanted to. All he could do was flick his eyes back and forth around the room. He could sense his mother’s chakra, Hazuki’s, and Ayako and Shisui’s, and even feel the familiar weight of Shisui as he laid on the bed beside him._

_He didn’t know how long he waited, how long he waited for them reawaken and notice him. But soon Mikoto stirred, her long dark hair tousled, her expression drawn. She cried when she noticed he was awake._

_“Sweetheart, you’re awake,” Mikoto quickly wiped her tears away, bending over to look at him. “How are you feeling?”_

_Itachi opened his mouth, and moved his lips. But no sound emerged. All that passed was air. He tried again, but someone how only managed a squeak._

_“Hazuki,” said Mikoto, a frown worrying her features. “Hazuki!”_

* * *

Hazuki’s hands trailed further down Kisame’s back. “Laceration wounds. They’ve been beating you. Daily, by the looks of things. Some of the wounds are days old, others very recent.”

Beside him, Izumi shook her head, appalled. Itachi felt her lean her forehead against his shoulder.

“Izumi, pass me my kit,” instructed Hazuki.

Izumi leant forwards and handed Hazuki her medical kit. Itachi watched as Hazuki helped Kisame to sit upright, and then reached into her medical kit to produce a small torchlight, barely bigger than the size of a pen. Hazuki shone the light in each of Kisame’s eyes.

“Your pupils are slightly dilated, that could be due to the pain and the infection. There’s no signs of any head injuries, which is good,” Hazuki laid her hands either side of Kisame’s face. “Your face feels swollen. Could you open your mouth please?”

Kisame opened his mouth.

Hazuki drew a deep breath. “What happened to your tongue?”

Itachi remembered the day where he had offered Kisame food, his favourite food, and how he had turned his head away. He remembered the foamy blood flecked at the corners of Kisame’s mouth, the pointed sharp bloody teeth. Itachi couldn’t resist peering over to take a look. His suspicions were confirmed.

“Did someone cut it out?” asked Hazuki. There was a tone of anger at the back of her voice.

Kisame shook his head.

“Did someone do this to you?” Hazuki repeated.

Kisame shook his head, and then gestured to himself.

“You did it to yourself?” asked Hazuki.

Kisame nodded. Hazuki took one look at his sharp pointed teeth, and Itachi knew she didn’t doubt it.

“Why did you do that?” asked Hazuki.

Kisame stared at her, meeting her gaze, and refusing to answer.

“All right,” said Hazuki. “I’m going to heal what I can of the wounds, but the infection will take a little longer. After what you’ve been through, you’re going to need a lot of rest. Rest and recovery.”

“But he has to escape,” Izumi protested. She waved her hand in the direction of Itachi's window, gesturing out at the rest of the Compound. “You saw them earlier when they started hammering on our door. Shou, Rikuto and Osamu were threatening to hunt through every single house to find him. He needs to go, quickly.”

“He’s not going anywhere. At least not yet,” said Hazuki firmly. “He needs to rest and recuperate. His chakra has been suppressed for an extended period of time. That’s not good. By the looks of things, our clansmen have been messing around with techniques that are much, much more complex and more complicated than they are qualified to be using. Even I don’t understand them…and I can’t even begin to imagine what kind of effect it could have had on my patient.”

She turned back to Kisame.

“I would have you at my house, where I could keep an eye on your recovery. But I don’t think I could safely transport you there without gathering everyone’s attention. And given our already outcasted status in the clan…I think it’s the first place they’d look. You’re safest here. No one would accuse the clan head of hiding you in his own house.”

Itachi lightly tapped Hazuki’s shoulder, so that she turned to face him. _‘What can I do to help?’_

“I’ll come to that,” said Hazuki. She turned back to Kisame. “Will you let me heal you?”

Kisame shook his head. He lifted his hand.

 _‘S…A…M…E…H…A…’_ he began to sign, but then stopped. His eyes darted back and forth, thinking.

“What’s a Sameha?” asked Izumi.

Kisame growled with frustration. He folded his arms, and stared at the selection of blankets piled on Itachi’s bed.

Hazuki laid her hand on his shoulder. “It won’t hurt, I promise. You’ll feel much better.”

Kisame nodded, ceding defeat. Hazuki’s hands flashed green, and her attention focused. Itachi watched as her eyes intensified, as she applied her touch to Kisame’s wounded leg. There was a sense of disappointment that reflected in Kisame’s eyes as he watched her work.

“Here’s the infected part,” stated Hazuki, looking at the leg wound. “I’m not going to heal this completely…I can heal the skin over, but then that might trap the infection inside instead, it might cause more painful swelling. I want the infection to drain away.”

Hazuki removed her hands, and then helped Kisame to sit upright. He seemed more comfortable with her now, and closed his eyes, as he allowed her to administer to the lacerations across his back.

“These are more simple to heal,” stated Hazuki, her glowing hands moving. “But you’re going to be tired, after everything you’ve gone through. Plenty of rest and recovery. I’ll make sure Itachi takes good care of you.”

Kisame nodded, and then shrugged his broad shoulders, almost as if he enjoyed the pain-free sensation. His grimace lessened, and his expression looked less harried and worn.

“Whatever you do, do not let your uncles in the house,” Hazuki tilted her head back over her shoulder to address Itachi.

Itachi shook his head, before lifting his hands to sign. _‘Oka-san will not let them in.’_

Hazuki frowned. “Do Mikoto and Fugaku know…?”

Itachi shook his head.

“When his chakra recovers, and he becomes noticeable, keep his signature masked at all times,” instructed Hazuki. Itachi nodded. “And while he’s recuperating, make sure he has plenty of salt water baths. That will keep the infected wound clean while it clears. I don’t think I can do anything about his tongue, I’m afraid. Keep teaching him the sign language.”

* * *

 _“He can’t talk,” Mikoto laid her hands either side of his cheeks, frantically scanning his face for signs that something was wrong. Itachi tried again, forcing his throat into action, but only released a squawk that made the sensation in his throat burn._ _His eyes stung and watered with the effort._

_Hazuki gently moved Mikoto aside, and then pulled one of the layers of gauze away to take a closer look. “There must be deeper damage to his vocal cords.”_

_“Can’t you do anything about it?” asked Mikoto._

_“I healed the wound and stopped the bleeding,” replied Hazuki. “But some things, like damage to vocal cords, are irreparable.”_

_“You mean he’ll never talk again?”_

_"He might be able to reteach himself, but…” Hazuki trailed off. “I doubt it.”_

_Mikoto burst into tears. Itachi tried to lift a hand, to take hers to comfort her, but his neck hurt too much to put tension in his shoulder. Instead, he laid back, staring at the ceiling._

_There was no point getting upset. He didn’t say much anyway._

_“How will I talk to him?” asked Mikoto._

_“Sign language?” suggested Hazuki._

* * *

Itachi nodded. So, Kisame was a mute too. Itachi felt a horrible sense of incredible guilt at his gladness of someone to share his experience.

“Are you sure you can’t do anything about his tongue?” asked Izumi. “I thought you were just teaching Shou a lesson.”

“No, Izumi,” said Hazuki. She turned back to Kisame. “It was you who bit Shou’s fingers off, am I right?”

Kisame nodded.

“I hate that man. Nice job,” Hazuki patted his shoulder.

Kisame gave a sadistic grin and Itachi felt a swell of pride. Not even in captivity, had Kisame allowed himself to be broken. He sat down on the side of the bed next to Kisame, as Hazuki climbed up and began to put away her medical kit.

 _‘I will care for you,’_ he signed. _‘Everything you need, I’ll bring.’_

Kisame leant forwards, laid a large hand on the back of Itachi’s neck, and pressed his forehead to Itachi’s.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> do you think Itachi will take good care of his sharkbae? <3


	12. The Visitors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Itachi attends a clan head meeting with Fugaku at the Hokage's office, where they discover some unexpected visitors to the Village.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks again for all the love on my last chapter! ahhh! <3
> 
> in this chapter, Itachi attends a clan head meeting with Fugaku and we find out a bit more about the aftermath of the incident with Danzo. I've made some adjustments/amendments to village politics etc, to make justice a little more believeable and such. well, at least in my opinion anyway.

The Naka River passed through the lands of the Uchiha clan. Itachi stood at the top of the ravine and looked down warily. It was a long way to fall. It could kill someone.

Soon, it would rain, and the waters would rise. When the waters rose, there would be less of such a severe fall. If you were an experienced swimmer, or diver, you would be fine. If you were not, it was as perilous as before.

Further upstream, Itachi knew there was a dock over some slightly shallower water, where he and Izumi once sat with their feet dangling over into the stream, sharing dango and chirping happily away about their studies to become ninja. It seemed such a long time ago…Itachi had admired Izumi’s confidence as she teased him, and resolved to remind her of that day the next time he saw her. The dock would be more easily approachable, but would also allow someone to follow them more easily.

Dock or ravine, the Naka River would eventually lead out to the sea, and through the seas, back to Kirigakure.

Kisame could go home.

But first, Itachi had to nurse him back to health. He turned away from the ravine, disliking everything about its height and how deadly and eerie it looked. He headed back into town, and to the market.

At the market, he purchased a large tub of salt from the spice stall, before heading back to the fishmongers. He pointed at each selection, and then gestured with his hands on how large he wanted his portions to be. The fishmonger raised his eyebrows, seemingly annoyed by Itachi taking the majority of his day’s stock, as he had the previous few days ago. But Itachi didn’t care, and paid full price. It was better than wasting it, after all.

He passed by a card stall, and then halted, mid-pace. There were a few gift cards with animals and cutesy messages on. Itachi couldn’t resist drifting through the crowds of people, and picking one of them up to take a closer look. There was a funny one, with a crow flying over an open stretch of sea and waving at a shark, with a caption, _‘Glad to have you for a friend.’_

Itachi paid for it, and then slipped it inside his shopping basket. As he turned to leave, he couldn’t help but notice the blue-haired woman with the lip piercing had slipped over to the stall while his back was turned. Itachi had to give her credit where it was due, she was good at approaching him undetected. She had to be a highly trained and highly experienced kunoichi, on that he was certain. Maybe that was why she reminded him so strongly of his mother.

He picked up the pace, hasty to get away, but suddenly she was walking by his side, as if they were companions on a friendly stroll through the market. Itachi turned to glower at her, but suddenly he felt a crinkled piece of paper pressed in his hand.

“Burn it when you’ve read it,” her voice urged, low against his ear.

And then she was gone, darting and weaving back into the crowd.

Itachi walked free of the market, and opened up the piece of paper. It had been folded like a flower, and his fingers unpicked the petals.

_‘Meet me at 10pm, in the Konoha Nightclub.’_

Itachi stared at it. He went to slip it in his pocket, but then stopped, remembering her words. A small and non-demanding katon removed its existence.

Itachi turned back, heading back to the Uchiha Compound, his thoughts beginning to whir around his mind.

Back in the Compound, he walked past Shisui’s house and ignored Shou, Osamu and Rikuto protesting as Ayako drove them out of her house, her cats hissing behind them.

“MY SON IS UNWELL, IN HIS BED ASLEEP, AND YOU HAVE THE SHEER AUDACITY TO TURN UP HERE, WAKING HIM UP, BECAUSE YOU LOST YOUR CAPTIVE?!”

In his own house, he closed the door behind him, then smiled. He bounded up the stairs, and found Sasuke chirping happily away to Kisame about what he’d learnt at training earlier that day. Kisame sat upright in Itachi’s bed, with a tray of tea and dango that Itachi had left for him. He seemed to be laughing at something Sasuke had said.

“Hey nii-san!” greeted Sasuke. “Did you get everything?”

Itachi nodded, then sat down at the foot of his bed. He lifted his basket beside him, and reached inside for the gift card. He held it out to Kisame.

Kisame accepted it and sat reading the caption. Itachi pointed to the crow, and then back to himself, then pointed to the shark, and to Kisame. He made the sign for _‘friend,’_ and watched Kisame’s eyes grow misty.

“I’m home!” shouted Fugaku.

“Uh oh,” said Sasuke. He and Itachi climbed up. Itachi turned and signed, _‘wait,’_ for Kisame, before they slipped out, closing the door behind them. They headed downstairs to discover Fugaku changing his shoes for his slippers.

 _‘Welcome home,’_ signed Itachi.

“Itachi, perfect,” sighed Fugaku, putting his hands on his hips. “There’s a meeting for all the clan heads in the village later on this evening. I’ll be attending, and I need you to come with me.”

“Can I come?” asked Sasuke.

“No, Sasuke, this is strictly for clan heads and their heirs,” replied Fugaku.

“But Shikamaru, Ino and Choji will be there!”

“Because they're clan heirs,” explained Fugaku. “You stay here and look after your mother.”

“As if she needs ‘looking after,’” Sasuke scoffed.

Itachi reached across and poked his forehead.

 _‘Next time,’_ he signed. But even as he consoled his brother, all he could think about was the note from the mysterious woman. If he went to this clan head meeting with Fugaku, then he couldn’t meet her.

Well, it probably wasn’t a safe thing to do anyway. He had no idea who the woman was, why she wanted to meet him, or what she intended to do. If she wanted to talk to him, then she should have spoke to him in the market, in an open public space, if she had honest intentions.

Tonight, he would ask Sasuke to watch over Kisame and keep him safe.

* * *

He and Fugaku left the Uchiha Compound after dinner. The rest of the Uchiha remained in the Compound, where as per the curfew rules, they were to remain for the night. Fugaku and Itachi were exempt for the purpose of the meeting.

They walked in silence. In the darkness, Fugaku couldn’t see Itachi’s signs, or attempt to lip-read, so Itachi made no attempt at conversation. Likewise, Fugaku made no attempt to begin conversation either, as Itachi could not reply.

They hadn’t spoken properly since their argument that ended with Itachi slamming his fist into the wall. Too many unspoken words and thoughts hung in the air around them, accompanying them to the clan head meeting.

Instead, Itachi turned his thoughts to the meeting and what purpose it could serve. Someday, he’d be heading this way on his own, with maybe Sasuke to accompany him as clan heir. Or, perhaps a son or daughter.

But that wasn’t something he was ready to think about yet.

Sasuke was his baby.

They made their way through the streets of Konoha. Itachi’s head turned in the direction of the nightlife street. The blue-haired woman would be waiting for him. Itachi imagined her getting ready, slipping into a dress so that she fitted the part of a sophisticated club-goer, and then waiting all night for him, only for him to never arrive.

“You’ll be eighteen soon,” stated Fugaku. “I don’t suppose you wish you were on the nightlife scene?”

In the glow of the neon orange light, Itachi shook his head. Neither his birthday or the promise of visiting nightclubs appealed to him.

“No, it wasn’t really my kind of scene either,” admitted Fugaku, staring at a gaudy neon pink sign that blinked rapidly. “Your mother, on the other hand…”

Itachi allowed the corners of his mouth to curl.

“I feel bad for some of the normal things you’re missing out on,” Fugaku carried on. “Maybe when you were younger, I really ought to have taken more leaves out of Hazuki’s book. But I…”

Itachi allowed his father to trail off.

“I suppose I just want you to be strong and able to protect yourself, and your family. When you have one of your own. Then I think you’ll understand.”

 _I would kill for Sasuke, I think I already do,_ Itachi thought silently.

“I am sorry about the other night too, you know,” Fugaku carried on. “You know I’m not very good at discussing the way I feel. I just didn’t want to empower Shou, Osamu and Rikuto with any excuses to discredit me, or us. You might think that it’s just three cowardly men against me, but words are wind and rumours are hurricanes. Do you understand now?”

Itachi turned to face his father, and realised that Fugaku was staring at him as he walked. He nodded.

“Good,” said Fugaku. “I’m pleased. And I’m pleased I called the clan meeting.”

Itachi nodded.

“The captive,” Fugaku lowered his voice. “Is he gone?”

Itachi nodded furiously.

“All right,” Fugaku finished, and stared back down at the floor. “Not a word to anyone at the meeting about the captive.”

Itachi held back a chuckle, but wasn’t truly able to muffle it.

“What’s so funny?” asked Fugaku. Itachi tapped his finger against his scars, and then made the sign for _‘mute.’_ Realisation dawned upon Fugaku. “Oh!”

Itachi followed his father into the meeting hall. He recognised Hiashi and Hanabi Hyuga immediately, and followed Fugaku’s lead in nodding cordially to them both. Both Itachi and his father took seats as far away from Shibi and Shino Aburame as possible, so that Itachi ended up squashed on a seat next to Choza and Choji Akimichi. The elders Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane sat at the top of the table, not speaking. Low discussion bubbled around the room. A few heads turned, and Itachi knew they were looking at his scars. He wanted to tug the high neck of his shirt even higher to conceal them, but knew that to do so would only indulge the subsequent whispers and murmurs of pity.

“How’s Mikoto?” asked Tsume, the head of the Inuzuka clan, taking the seat on Fugaku’s other side.

“She’s well,” replied Fugaku.

“Good. I’m pleased. And Ayako?”

“She wanted me to tell you that cats are better than dogs,” replied Fugaku.

Tsume barked with laughter. Her dog Kuromaru lifted his head and sniffed distastefully.

“Tell her someday she’ll admit dogs are better,” Tsume reached down and scratched behind Kuromaru’s ears. The dog lifted his head, and closed his eyes in bliss.

“I’m sure my clanswoman will,” replied Fugaku.

Itachi leant around his father, to catch the eye of Hana, Tsume’s heiress. She had been his former classmate in the Academy, along with Izumi. She was a medical nin, specialising in veterinary. It was always odd to see his former classmates. He remembered how everyone had hyped him up as this amazing prodigy, telling him how clever and talented he was. They all went on and on about the great things he’d achieve, how powerful he’d be, and what a great leader for the Uchiha clan he was going to be.

Itachi watched his peers grow frustrated as they couldn’t measure up.

_Now you’ve got what you want._

“Good evening, one and all,” greeted the Fifth Hokage. Everyone had the table stood as a sign of respect, including Itachi himself. Tsunade slipped in front of her chair at the head of the table, and glanced around the room, noting the attendance of all the clan heads. Itachi was reminded of the blue-haired woman, observing Tsunade’s authoritative command of the room, just from a few words and her walk. Eventually she nodded, then sat down. “Thank you all for attending.”

The rest of the room resettled in their seats. Itachi glanced around the room, and realised that he was free to look at everyone as he pleased, since their focus was locked onto Tsunade. He couldn’t help but toss a glare in the direction of the Aburame. He knew it wasn’t fair to blame them all for Sugaru’s actions, knew that Shino was a good friend and classmate to Sasuke, and knew very well what it was like to be manipulated and used by Danzo. But all he could think about was what if Shibi had turned Danzo down, refused to let him take the young Sugaru, if the Third Hokage had stopped Danzo and put him in his place long ago, then just maybe…

But all Itachi could think about was Shisui writhing in pain, pressing his palms against his forehead, his remaining eye squeezed shut, joints seized up in agony so that he convulsed violently, dangerously dancing on the knife edge between life and death.

And he wanted to do a lot more than glare at the Aburame.

“Before I begin, I would like to ask if there are any concerns regarding your clans?” asked Tsunade.

There was a silence.

“No?” asked Tsunade. “Excellent. Then I’ll get straight to the point.”

She clapped her hands together.

“It has come to my attention that members of the Akatsuki have infiltrated the village,” announced Tsunade.

The clan heads and their heirs glanced from Tsunade, to each other, and then back.

“Are you all aware of who and what the Akatsuki is?” asked Tsunade.

The clan heads nodded.

“For those of you who remain unaware, the Akatsuki is a terrorist organisation compromised of S-Rank missing nin,” explained Tsunade. “So far, they can be hired like mercenaries, and their goal appears to be gathering money. But for what further purpose, remains unknown.”

“Who was spotted?” asked Fugaku.

“We spotted a female member,” stated Shibi.

Itachi’s heart skipped a beat. Could this be the mysterious woman who had approached him?

“I drew a picture,” Shibi reached in his pocket and pulled out a drawing.

The girl had long blond hair, with half held up in a high ponytail, with a fringe covering half her face. She wore a black robe embroidered with red clouds on.

It was not the blue-haired woman.

“That just looks like Ino,” stated Shikamaru.

Ino peered over and stared at the picture. “That doesn’t look anything like me…I would never wear that ugly cape!”

“Her hair was more golden blonde than platinum blonde,” explained Shino.

“Is that it?” asked Hiashi.

“Not at all,” stated Shikaku Nara. “We spotted a silver haired man with a companion wearing a headpiece camping in our forest. They were swearing at each other and kicked their own tent to pieces. Both of them wore the same cape.”

“That’s three members,” observed Tsume. “Any others?”

“Several unconfirmed,” stated Tsunade. “I hesitate to publicly offer further information in that regard as I worry that worried civilians will make assumptions.”

“I see,” stated Fugaku.

“As you know, this is a serious matter. Intel on why the Akatsuki are in Konoha has yet to be discovered. I would ask all of you, as clan heads, to be vigilant, and if any of you,” Tsunade hesitated, and then glanced at each and every member present with her honey coloured eyes. “If any of you have any reason or understanding of why the Akatsuki are here within the village, I would like to remind you that it is your duty to report it.”

Itachi watched as Fugaku frowned to himself.

“I don’t know of any reason why they’d be here,” replied Inoichi Yamanaka.

“The lands of our clan are on the outskirts of the village and in an isolated area. We have a highly sought after dojutsu. I think we might be a prime target to attack. How can we protect ourselves and our families if the Akatsuki wish to attack?” asked Fugaku.

“I’m sure Mikoto could take care of them,” replied Homaru.

“Yes,” said Fugaku. Itachi felt his father grow tense beside him. “My wife is a strong woman. So…protective of her family.”

“That’ll do, Homaru,” Tsunade finished. She turned back to Fugaku. “As per the treaty, there is surveillance on your lands in the event of such incidence. Have you seen any Akatsuki members, confirmed or unconfirmed, on your property?”

Itachi remembered the treaty. Izumi had brought him the news of it as she carried up some soup for him to sip whilst he laid in Hazuki’s bed with Shisui. Between dribbled mouthfuls, Izumi explained that Mikoto was going to be pardoned because she acted in self-defence, that the Third Hokage was going to resign again, and instead Tsunade had been fetched back to the village to become the Fifth Hokage. She spoke of how a treaty with the Uchiha was being drawn up, and how there were some terms that none of them would like, such as a curfew and more video surveillance to ensure Mikoto’s good behaviour and that she wouldn’t kill anyone else.

The first thing Shisui had asked was how they were supposed to order pizza to the Compound with a curfew in place, and it had made both Itachi and Izumi howl with laughter, because it was the first joke Shisui had made since waking up, and the first joke they’d heard in days.

“None,” admitted Fugaku.

“For now, I have no reason to be concerned about your position. The confirmed sighting took place in an open, public space. I don’t think they’ll approach your Compound. I think it’s far more likely that they were scouting,” said Tsunade.

“For what?” asked Shikaku. “I can’t understand why two of them would be camping in our forest.”

“Maybe it’s their temporary base,” said Choza. He turned to look around the room and explained. "It's a dark, concealed area that they can easily hide in."

“Bounties,” stated Tsunade. “I’m aware that some members will collect bounties for cash.”

“Then should I drive them out?” asked Shikaku. “They’re S-rank missing nin, my clan can’t take them on alone.”

“Not yet. For now, I want them watched. I want us to be more prepared with intel on them than they are on us,” replied Tsunade.

“Our deer will report their movements to us,” agreed Shikaku. “But I don’t feel safe having them there, many members of my clan live nearby with young children-”

“I’ll assign some ANBU members to keep watch in shifts,” said Tsunade. “If you don’t mind the extra personnel on your lands.”

“No, not at all, that would be perfect, I’ll warn my clansmen of the situation and impending changes.”

“And what about the female member we saw, what should we do?” asked Shibi.

“She wasn’t on your land, I don’t see any reason to assign extra guards. I’d prefer not to increase the amount of ninja watching the village because then they’ll know that we know they’re here, when I want us to track their movements and their behaviour.”

Uneasy tension clung to the air. Yes, they’d all called truce following the incident. But there were still words unspoken, feelings that never truly left. Danzo’s essence still lingered. It felt as though his ghost sat between Homaru and Koharu, presiding over their decisions and opinions. Itachi couldn’t help but shudder, imagining Danzo’s rancid breath on the back of his neck. He imagined the hot putrid puffs down his spine, the rasp of Danzo’s voice, the feeling of entrapment, the man’s manipulative, frightening words, and-

He would never leave.

* * *

Itachi sat stiffly through the rest of the clan meeting, barely able to take in a word. He nodded whenever Fugaku spoke to him, and stared blankly whenever anyone addressed him. It didn’t matter, they all thought he was stupid now he was mute anyway. It would make little difference to stoke the rumours.

“That concludes everything,” Tsunade stacked her papers in front of her. “Are there any other problems or concerns?”

“Hazuki wants her job back,” stated Fugaku.

Homaru and Koharu both scowled at the suggestion. Tsunade pursued her pink lips. “I’d like to offer her back her job, she’s a talented woman. But now isn’t the best time.”

“I’ll tell her to be patient,” sighed Fugaku.

He and Fugaku walked silently back to the Compound. Fugaku made a few attempts at conversation, but Itachi paid little heed. When they arrived home, Itachi went straight to his room to check on Kisame. The man sat upright, holding an old newspaper article that Itachi had left by the side of his bed. When he saw Itachi, he lifted it up to show him.

There was a picture of Mikoto, Sharingan active, brandishing a katana in one hand and a shuriken in the other. Blood dripped from the katana and the shuriken, and her expression was fierce and wild.

 _‘Mother,’_ signed Kisame.

Itachi nodded. _‘My mother.’_

Kisame tapped the headline with a large finger. _‘Village Elder Danzo Shimaru Murdered By Killer Uchiha Housewife!’_

Itachi nodded. He climbed up onto the bed and sat cross-legged at Kisame’s side, so they were facing each other.

 _‘There was a fight,’_ he signed. _‘That’s how I became mute.’_

Kisame lifted his hands to sign, but then stopped. Itachi guessed that perhaps he wanted to say something but didn’t have the sign for it yet. He had been very much the same until he became fluent.

Kisame’s hand reached forwards, and to Itachi’s shock, took his hand in his. It was unexpected, and Itachi gave a short gasp, but then he rapidly realised that he didn’t want Kisame to let go. All of the tension from the clan meeting melted away, and all he wanted to do was collapsed into Kisame’s embrace. He leant closer towards Kisame, and then felt the bed shift as Kisame reached for him.

_He wants me too, he wants me too, he wants me too._

Finally, their lips met for real. It was even better than the crazy moment where Itachi had flung himself against the glass pane, trying to press himself towards Kisame as much as possible, before the rescue attempt. This felt better, it felt right, as Kisame wrapped his arms around Itachi’s waist and practically pulled him into his lap. Even without a tongue, Kisame’s lips gently moved against his, and his broad hands rubbed comforting circles on Itachi’s back.

It felt nice.

Itachi wrapped his arms around Kisame’s shoulders, curling against his chest, gently stroking the hard-toned muscles with his finger-tips, loving the way the rough bumpy texture of Kisame's skin dragged beneath his touch.

Soon the kiss deepened, and grew more frantic, more urgent. Itachi’s heart hammered in his chest, as Kisame’s fingers entangled themselves in his silky black hair. He began to wonder how far this was going to go, and if it went any further, how he would feel about that. But he didn’t want to break away to sign and ask; he wanted to savour this beautiful moment for as long as possible.

There was a knock at the door.

“Itachi?” called Mikoto. “How did the meeting go?”

Itachi froze, his lips still entwinned with Kisame’s. He didn’t want to ignore her, and then risk Mikoto opening the door and then spotting him and Kisame. But at the same time, he couldn’t call out to ask her for privacy, and she couldn’t see him sign.

“Are you…decent?” asked Mikoto.

Itachi scrambled out of Kisame’s lap, scrawled the word ‘NO’ on a piece of paper, and then shoved it under the crack of the door.

“I see,” said Mikoto, after a moment. “Well, I’ll let you get ready for bed, and I’ll see you in the morning. Goodnight, sweetheart.”

Itachi pulled back the paper, and then wrote ‘GOODNIGHT,’ before sliding it back under the door. He straightened up, and then turned to Kisame. He wasn’t about to turf his injured friend out of a bed, and despite their brief foray into kissing, it would be…too weird to ask to share yet. He decided that Sasuke would have to deal with sharing for another night.

 _‘Goodnight, Kisame,’_ he signed. He grabbed his nightclothes and quickly rushed out the room, closing the door behind him. Fugaku and Mikoto’s door was shut, and the lights were out. Itachi could hear them murmuring sleepily to one another, and then the shifting of the bed, as Fugaku rolled over to hold Mikoto in his embrace. Soon enough, they would fall silent in sleep.

He crept in through Sasuke’s door, to find his brother sitting upright in bed with his bed lamp on, thumbing through a novel.

“How did the meeting go, nii-san?” asked Sasuke, folding the book away.

 _‘Fine,’_ Itachi signed back.

“Just fine?” pouted Sasuke.

Itachi poked his forehead, then ruffled Sasuke’s spikes of hair.

“Are you sleeping here tonight again?” asked Sasuke, already shifting over to the right side of the bed so that Itachi would have some room. He moved one of the pillows that he had used to prop his body up to the other side so that Itachi would have one.

Itachi nodded, and then began to change into his pyjamas. He didn’t mind Sasuke being in the room. They’d shared baths as children and Itachi had changed plenty of Sasuke’s nappies.

Once he had changed, he climbed into bed and spooned around Sasuke like before, resting his head on the extra pillow.

“Hey nii-san, it’s your birthday tomorrow, isn’t it?”

Itachi nodded. Sasuke sensed the movement behind him.

“What do you want to do?” asked Sasuke.

Itachi shook his head.

“You don’t want to do anything?” Sasuke offered.

Itachi nodded.

“Well, I already bought you a present, so it’s too bad,” stated Sasuke.

Itachi reached up and flicked Sasuke’s nose.

“Hey!” protested Sasuke.

Itachi laughed softly, before settling back on his pillow. Sasuke burrowed further beneath the covers, and soon his younger brother’s breathing grew gentle and shallow. Itachi lay awake for a few more minutes in the darkness, watching the steady rise and fall of Sasuke's shoulders, as his eyes slowly drifted closed.

His lips still tingled from Kisame’s touch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys....not to make spoilers or anything....
> 
> BUT IN THE NEXT CHAPTER THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE SEX
> 
> keep reading! <3


	13. Consummation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kisame tries to get Samehada, Itachi celebrates his birthday, and then they consummate their relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's the sex chapter! but seriously, this is the first naughty scene i've ever written, so please let me know how I do ahaha.
> 
> as well as that, there's a development regarding what Kisame's abilities are. again, I have changed these from canon to match what happened in the film more.  
> there's a further revelation about what Danzo did to Itachi...I felt so horrible writing it... D:
> 
> for an illustration of what Kisame&Itachi do, my girl Shadow made this beautiful piece of art, which you can check out here; https://konohagakureship.tumblr.com/post/173304235581/thats-what-gills-are-for-jashinist-feminist-look

On the morning of his eighteenth birthday, Itachi waited until everyone had left the house before he took up a breakfast to Kisame. Kisame ate hungrily and drained Itachi’s pot of tea in a few slurps. There was a renewed vigour in the man. Colour had returned to his cheeks, and his eyes looked brighter. It relieved Itachi to see him looking so well, but already he had began to worry about helping Kisame escape for good.

He decided that he would face about that obstacle later. For now, Itachi drew him a salt water bath, as Hazuki had recommended, tipping in the whole tub of salt and then stirring the water to evenly distribute the salt.

 _‘For you,’_ he signed, before realising that all of the salt was gone, and that he would need to buy more. As well as that, Mikoto had left him a shopping list before they had his birthday dinner that evening.

He didn’t want to leave Kisame alone again, and so he called over Shisui and asked him to sit with Kisame. Shisui looked better than he had the previous day, as he rested and recuperated from the escape. He left Kisame reclining in the bath, and Shisui lounging in his bed.

At the marketplace, Itachi made certain to purchase several tubs of salt, more shrimp and crab for Kisame, and then walked to the sweet shop to pick up some dango. Afterwards, he spent the next few minutes wandering around the market, wondering if there would be something he could take back for Kisame to keep him entertained like the gift card he’d purchased the other day.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted the blue-haired woman again. She regarded him, and then beckoned him with a long, orange-red painted fingernail.

Itachi frowned, and shook his head, before turning in the opposite direction and racing back to the Compound. When he arrived at his house, he noticed that the front door was hanging open by an inch or two. He frowned, pushed it open, noticing some large damp footprints. His heart hammered and he raced upstairs, only to discover Shisui sitting on the floor outside of his bedroom with a stunned expression on his face. Izumi knelt beside him, tending to him and murmuring words of comfort, pressing a cold compress to his forehead.

“Itachi, I’m sorry…” Shisui shook his head, looking up at Itachi from the floor. “Kisame left, he wrote this note and tried to go, I tried to stop him but he wouldn’t listen.”

Cold terror plunged down to Itachi’s belly. He accepted the note, and stared at it. In capitals and in a bold block print, Kisame had written, ‘GONE TO GET SAMEHADA.’

What was Samehada? Was that the…Sameha, that Kisame had tried to sign the other day? Itachi looked outside at the bright light shining down on the Uchiha Compound. Kisame would easily be seen.

They would re-capture him in seconds if Itachi didn’t stop him.

“Go,” Shisui waved him on. “Don’t worry about me, Izumi’s here. Go and find him.”

Immediately Itachi flung down his basket and ran outside. Mikoto was on the other side of the Compound with the girls, Hiromasa was attending to his garden, Ayako was reading on the veranda with her cats purring around her. There was no sign of Shou, Osamu and Rikuto anywhere, although it was debatable about whether or not that was a good thing. Itachi stared this way and back.

If he was a six foot four blue man, he would be creeping through the shadows.

He ran around the back of the house, before colliding into Kisame. Kisame was bent over, with one hand resting against the wall of the house, and the other holding onto his wounded leg, which had re-opened. Hisses of pain escaped his lips.

Itachi quickly picked himself up, and then pulled Kisame closer to the house, trying to remain in the blind spot of the cameras.

 _‘Danger,’_ he signed. _‘We must get inside.’_

Kisame shook his head. He pointed back to the storeroom.

Itachi shook his head. _‘No storeroom. Not safe. Later.’_

He grabbed Kisame’s hand, and tugged him back into the house, keeping an eye on the bleeding wound. He’d get Izumi to call Hazuki again, that was for certain. He helped Kisame up the stairs, past Izumi as she supported Shisui to stand upright again, back to his room, and back into the salt water bath to clean the re-opened wound.

Kisame sat back down in the water, with a splash and a sulky expression on his face.

Shisui followed him in, still support by Izumi. “Hey pal, I’m sorry I didn’t understand what you were after.”

Kisame looked up, as Shisui sat down, leaning against the bathtub for support, and then rubbed his forehead. His expression turned to that of a grimace.

“I was tired and nauseas, I should have listened better,” explained Shisui, turning to face Kisame. “What’s a Samehada?”

Kisame leaned out of the bathtub, and reached across with a dripping wet arm, placing his hand across Shisui’s forehead. Itachi watched as fluorescent blue lights lit up on Kisame’s fingertips upon contact with Shisui’s skin.

“That’s weird,” Shisui stated, his remaining eye darting upwards to watch curiously. “Is this some kind of Kiri greeting?”

Kisame pulled aside Shisui’s eyepatch, and then touched his empty closed socket.

“Yes, this is just from when I had an accident,” replied Shisui. “Don’t prod it.”

Kisame’s fingertip glowed again and he lightly tapped the empty socket, but then he pulled his hand away. His hand reached down and he applied his touch to his own wound on his leg. Itachi watched as the wound seemed to lessen. It was still there, of course, but it looked less severe. He blinked, wondering if his eyes were mistaken. Maybe he wouldn’t need to call Hazuki. Kisame seemed happy enough again, lapping the salt water over the wound to clean it.

“Is everything all right?” asked Izumi.

“I think so,” said Shisui.

* * *

When Izumi and Shisui had left, Itachi sat with Kisame for a long time. He perched on the edge of the bathtub, reached forwards and gently touched the blue skin, wondering where the fluorescent blue glow had come from. His fingertips traced a pattern along Kisame’s skin, imagining it glowing beneath his fingertips. He loved the sheen of the blue, loved the way it contrasted against his white fingers. He loved how they were so very different in so many different ways, but when they were together, they seemed to complement each other perfectly.

Kisame’s larger hand slid out of the water, and then gently trailed along the soft white skin of Itachi’s wrist, then covered the hand that Itachi had been caressing him with. Itachi gave a small, happy sigh, as Kisame’s thumb stroked the back of his hand.

Kisame’s other hand reached over and gently tugged at the ponytail that had fallen over Itachi’s shoulder. Itachi laughed softly, as Kisame’s fingers weaved through the fine black silk. It seemed that Kisame liked his hair. Kisame released his ponytail, and then his fingers experimentally played with the collar of Itachi’s shirt, gently brushing against Itachi’s scars. Itachi found he didn’t mind Kisame touching them.

Initially, Itachi assumed that Kisame was simply reciprocating how Itachi had been touching him, but then Kisame’s fingers took hold of his collar firmly, gently beginning to peel Itachi’s shirt away from him, sliding it open to reveal a small white triangle of Itachi’s bare skin.

Itachi jumped up and stumbled back clumsily with shock. He ran out the room, and then slammed the door of the bathroom, leaning back against it heavily, small gasps escaping from his parted lips. His heart beat rapidly.

Itachi was no virgin. He still remembered that silly game of ‘Truth or Dare’ where Izumi claimed his first kiss. He remembered the way her hair had draped across his cheek like a curtain, the soft cushion of her lips, and the sugar sweet taste of her mouth. He hadn’t known what to do with his tongue, she seemed to have some idea or expectation of what to do with it, so Itachi let his tongue loll in her mouth while she did the work.

He remembered that bitterly icy winter night on that horrible long mission in the middle of god-knows-where, the single narrow sleeping bag, Shisui’s sake-flavoured kisses, their mingled pants, and the warm sturdy weight of Shisui resting on his chest. He remembered these moments almost as vividly as the very moment they had laid the kissed on each other and uttered the words of love and affection, and he remembered how it felt, how it felt to be so loved.

And then he remembered Danzo’s clammy, intrusive hands.

Itachi shuddered violently, and then straightened himself, holding onto the door for support. That memory was firmly locked away in the ‘DO NOT THINK ABOUT’ box at the back of his mind, although sometimes the door tended to slip open from time to time. Itachi shook his head furiously, desperately trying to convince himself that it had never happened.

Danzo was dead and buried, courtesy of Mikoto. He would never come near Itachi again, never touch him, he would never even look at him. Itachi was safe.

Life went on.

Both he and Izumi agreed that they loved one another better as brother and sister. Izumi had moved onto other lovers…female lovers who were apparently better kissers than he was and just generally “knew their way around better.”

And Shisui…since their brush with death, they’d never been able to…Shisui’s migraines and constant joint pain put a short, sharp stop to anything physical. But it wasn’t just the physicality. As Itachi and Shisui both picked up the broken pieces of their individual selves and put themselves back together, there really was no time for romance or feelings to develop any further. If you couldn’t love yourself, and Itachi had truly hated himself after the attack, then there was no way you could love somebody else.

Itachi failed Shisui. By the time he’d arrived to rescue him, Shisui had already been poisoned and his eye was gone. Itachi failed his clan. They were more ostracised than ever, and had more limitations on their lives than before. Itachi failed the village and he failed himself. Shisui deserved better than a failure like Itachi.

Itachi loved Shisui like a brother now, and would for all the rest of his days. Maybe not as much as Sasuke, but like a brother all the same. In another life, maybe.

And since then, Itachi had always thought, whenever he looked around at the available men and women in Konoha, who would want to date a mute? People thought he was stupid when he didn’t reply to their questions, or when he tried to sign in response, they stared at his signs like he was putting his middle finger up and they didn’t understand what he meant. Their whispers followed him around the town, about the boy who’d once been a prodigy but now had his vocal cords cut out and given up the life of a shinobi. The whispers and gossip preceded him wherever he went.

Itachi had always found it hard to grow close to people, and now it was even harder. And so, it had been a while since he’d been intimate with anyone.

But now Kisame was here.

Kisame had once been strong, like Itachi. Kisame had been hurt, like Itachi. Kisame was mute, like Itachi. Kisame understood him. And Kisame wanted him.

What did he want to do?

The rattling of the house front door interrupted his thoughts.

“Itachi? Are you home?” called Mikoto up the stairs. “Come downstairs!”

Itachi sighed with relief that he hadn’t taken it further with Kisame and been caught in a compromising position. He wandered downstairs.

“Happy birthday, sweetheart,” Mikoto reached up and kissed his cheek. In her hands she held a wrapped present, which she held out to him.

Itachi accepted it, and then unable to sign, wrapped his remaining free arm around her shoulders to give her a hug. Mikoto crowed with delight, and her happiness drove pangs into Itachi’s heart, as he wondered how such a small gesture on his part brought her such joy. Unbeknownst to Mikoto, Itachi too drew comfort from her warm embrace. His mother; his rescuer. She always had kept him safe, saved him when he needed saving, loved him when he couldn’t love himself.

Mikoto released him, and then glanced him over.

“You look flushed,” noted Mikoto as her eyes scanned his face. “Are you hot?”

Itachi pressed his cold hands to his cheeks, and found to his surprise that he was indeed quite hot.

“It does get hot upstairs. You know, you shouldn’t spend so much time on your own in your room, it’s not good for you. Maybe you should come and help me train the girls sometime…it might be good for them to try and fight against an actual man, so they know what it’s like and what they could be up against.”

Itachi allowed her to prattle on, and lost himself to his thoughts again. He followed Mikoto into the kitchen, where out of a white box laid on the side she produced his birthday cake, baked from his favourite dumpling shop. Eighteen multicoloured candles dotted the top. His favourite meal soon began to cook inside the oven, and then Fugaku and Sasuke arrived home. Sasuke flung his arms around Itachi and shoved a present in his hands.

“Open it, nii-san! Open it!”

Itachi accepted it with an exaggerated groan, but then he poked Sasuke’s forehead and kissed his cheek. Laying it in his lap, he signed, _‘Thank you,’_ before pulling at the wrapping. Sasuke watched him with wide, dark, eager eyes. Itachi felt a rush of love and affection for his little brother.

"Happy birthday, my son," Fugaku ruffled Itachi's hair, and there was a mixture of emotion on his face. He handed out a present. "I know you always say you don't want anything for your birthday, but I had to get you something."

"We all did," added Mikoto. "You can't go without any presents! Or a birthday dinner! Or even a cake!"

"He probably only wants the cake," teased Sasuke.

Itachi wrapped his arm around Sasuke and squeezed him, knowing that Sasuke was right.

Even as he ate with his family, blew out the candles on his cake, and then spent the evening with his family watching a film that he let Sasuke pick even though it was Itachi’s birthday, Itachi silently brooded. By the time Fugaku and Mikoto sent Sasuke to bed, and then gone to bed themselves, Itachi had made his mind up.

The past was in the past. It was done, and nothing could change it. But Itachi could take control of his future.

He gently pushed open his bedroom door, and peeked in. His bed was empty. Kisame was still in the bathtub. Itachi heard the lapping of the water against the side of the bath. Itachi closed his bedroom door behind himself, and locked it.

He picked up his dove grey dressing gown, and then removed his clothes, before wrapping the dressing gown around himself. He huddled inside the material, feeling comforted by its warmth, but then reminded himself not to get too comfortable. He glanced into the mirror briefly, before deciding that he looked acceptable.

Itachi gently pressed on the bathroom door, and then closed it behind him, allowing the lock to click shut.

Kisame glanced up from where he lounged in the water.

A simple katon lit the candle, so that they were bathed in soft yellow flickering light.

Itachi took a step closer. One of his hands drifted up to the sash of his dressing gown, and fumbled with the knot. Kisame stared keenly. Itachi untied the knot, then allowed his dressing gown to slide off his shoulders. Kisame’s eyes roved over him, absorbing the sight of the scars on his neck, the ANBU tattoo on his upper bicep, the slender lean frame of his body.

Itachi took another step forward, before realising he’d forgotten something. He reached up, and pulled the tie from his hair, so that it hung free over his shoulders. Kisame had seemed to like his hair, and yet Itachi had never loosened it in front of him before.

Kisame stood up in the tub as Itachi climbed in beside him. He lifted his hands, ready to sign to Kisame what he wanted.

 _‘You. Me,’_ Itachi gestured to Kisame, and then back to himself. He clutched his hands together with his thumbs pointed upwards. _‘Together.’_

He stepped forwards in the water, closing the gap between them both. His hands outstretched and lightly touched the muscles of Kisame’s chest.

 _‘Is this going to be big enough?’_ wondered Itachi. _‘Maybe I should flood the bathroom…’_

Kisame’s broad hands roamed up Itachi’s arms, before eventually wrapping him in his embrace. Itachi had never felt so warm, so protected, in nearly all his life. He very nearly wanted to cry. He lifted his head, tilted his chin, and felt Kisame bend down to connect their lips.

Before he knew it, Kisame had laid him down in the bathtub, and parted his legs. Kisame worked his way between them, pressing kisses down Itachi’s neck, starting by gently kissing against his scars. Surprisingly, Itachi didn’t feel vulnerable, like he would have done if anyone else had looked at them or touched them, but instead he felt accepted. And not just accepted. But loved. Cherished, even. He leant back, one hand softly running through Kisame’s navy spike of hair as Kisame kissed down his chest, his abdomen, then his-

Itachi gasped, realising that Kisame had fully submerged himself under the water to take him with his mouth. Small bubbles of air released from the gills on Kisame’s shoulders and cheeks and ruptured the surface of the water.

Itachi blushed furiously. His hair clung to his back as the water lapped against the side of the tub, moving with each of Itachi’s gasps and sighs, the flex of Kisame’s muscles as he bobbed up and down. Itachi couldn’t help but tilt his head back and moan gently, squeezing shut his eyes. But then he couldn’t bear the thought of not watching Kisame as his lips worked away on him, and forced himself to half-open his eyes and watch. He bucked his hips, desperately craving more. His eyes went wide with pleasure, as Kisame began to bring him to his peak.

It was no good. Itachi couldn’t hold back any longer. He tilted his head back and silently cried out with pleasure, as he spilled into Kisame’s mouth. Kisame re-emerged from the water, shaking his tousled hair of water droplets and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. Itachi shuddered against the edge of the tub, wearily watching Kisame’s movements.

Kisame’s large hands slid up his thighs, lifting Itachi’s body out of the water and readying him into position. To help him, Itachi braced his feet against the side of the tub, and watched the larger man spit into his hand.

A curious finger gently slid inside, and worked him open. Itachi began to whimper of pleasure again, and then he felt another finger slide inside, spreading, stretching. He sighed almost disappointedly when Kisame pulled them free.

But then Kisame gripped his hips in one hand, and Itachi felt him slide in completely. A silent throaty moan passed through his parted lips. He felt Kisame playfully nip at the curve between his shoulder and his neck, and wrapped his arms across Kisame’s broad back, holding him close. He clutched onto Kisame as they moved together in one fluid motion to the ancient rhythm of love, that so many lovers had moved before, his fingernails digging in to Kisame’s hard skin.

His mouth silently cried with pleasure, and he heard Kisame’s heavy breathing above him. The gills on Kisame’s cheeks and shoulders opened and closed faster. That was interesting, but Itachi had no time to wonder, as he bucked his hips higher. He pressed his face against Kisame’s shoulder, even gently nipping him this time, before flinging his head back to howl another silent moan of pleasure.

The water lapped dangerously against the edge of the tub, but neither of the lovers cared. Itachi felt himself being born away on a wild wave of pleasure. The water rushed in his ears, he felt the slap of it against his skin, he felt Kisame’s skin against his. He never wanted it to stop, but Kisame was thrusting harder now, desperate to feel even closer to him.

Itachi pressed his face into Kisame’s other shoulder as he came. His mouth opened to cry of joy, his teeth digging in against the hard rough skin.

Then it was all over. Itachi felt his release coat his abdomen. He felt Kisame’s release deep inside of him, and felt him give a long, silent sigh above him.

Itachi gave one last whimper, still clutching onto Kisame, never wanting to let him go. He wanted to hold him and hold him for all the rest of his days. But his muscles ached from holding the position for so long, and so did Kisame’s. He panted, and realised that he had a stupid sappy grin written all over his face. He tilted his head back and realised that Kisame looked the exact same. He laughed silently, and then nuzzled his nose against Kisame’s.

Kisame gently lowered himself back down into the tub, so that Itachi lay curled on top of him. He pecked Itachi’s forehead with a light kiss. He lifted one hand to sign. _‘Happy?’_

Itachi nodded, and pressed a tired clumsy kiss on Kisame’s cheek.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed finally getting to read the sex :P how did I do for my first naughty scene?!
> 
> I have a bit of an announcement...i'm going to be taking a mini-break from updating this story and my other ongoing wips, not for long, just for a week or two, as i'm participating in an event and making a few oneshots and i'm struggling by jumping from so many different stories. I have more chapters written up after this and they will be posted, and at the moment I think this story will have 22 chapters in total.


	14. The Akatsuki

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a blissful first night together, reality soon comes crashing in when Itachi is confronted by Konan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys, welcome back after my break! thank you for your patience :)
> 
> i'm currently writing up some of the final chapters which are taking me longer as i'm tying up plots etc, and its taking longer than the first few chapters. I might start updating fortnightly like with my other stories, as i'm still working on various events and things and have more ideas for future works that i'd like to begin.
> 
> also I noticed there was some confusion with what kind of crossover this story is, so I have updated the tags to make it clearer and reflect that. just to say it again, this is a fusion crossover, so there's elements of both universes/storylines/character behaviour in this fic. I've also changed abilities from canon so that it fits the story better :)

“You’re in a good mood this morning,” stated Mikoto, lifting up a box of spare shuriken into her arms. It clanged loudly, the weapons jingling a merry tune. She leant her chin on the edge of the box to look at him. “I was worried about you last night…you seemed a bit quiet. Quieter than usual.”

Itachi beamed at his mother.

“Should I be concerned?” asked Mikoto, tilting her head slightly.

Itachi shook his head. _‘I am fine.’_

“All right then. Have a good day, sweetheart,” Mikoto lowered the box, leant over and kissed his forehead, before heading out. The box jangled with each of her steps, and soon a group of girls gathered around her, trying desperately to peer inside at what she had brought out for them, pestering her with a barrage of questions.

Itachi smiled to himself for a little while, before heading out onto the veranda to sweep stray leaves away.

“You look like you’re in a good mood,” Izumi leant her arms against the fence of the veranda and watched as Itachi swept.

Itachi beamed at her, like he had to Mikoto.

“What’s happened?” asked Izumi.

Itachi stifled back his silent giggles. Izumi’s eyes suddenly shone, as she twigged. She glanced quickly in both directions to ensure that no one overhead them, before leaning forwards.

“Did something happen between you and Kisame?” Izumi whispered.

At that, Itachi couldn’t resist sniggering into his hand.

“Oh, really?” Izumi raised her eyebrows. “Mmmhmm. So. Does he have a big…?”

Itachi lifted his hand and made the sign for two.

“Two? TWO?!” Izumi’s eyes widened. She exploded into a fit of giggles. “Never trust anyone with a dick, let alone two!”

“What are you two whispering about then?” asked Ayako, walking back clutching a bag of shopping. There was a strange, happy smile on her face, and the lines that usually creased her brow and below her eyes had seemingly been erased.

“Nothing, oba-san!” replied Izumi, chiming an innocent ring to her voice. “How’s Shisui?”

Ayako smiled. “He’s good. Really good.”

“He’s good?” asked Izumi. She and Itachi exchanged a confused and curious glance.

“Come and see for yourself,” said Ayako.

Itachi put down his broom, leaning it against the front door. He and Izumi raced after Ayako, and into her house. Her cats lifted their heads with interest as Itachi and Izumi arrived, before settling back down when they realised it wasn’t anything interesting at all.

Shisui sat upright at the breakfast table, sipping from a cup of tea. There was a light in his remaining eye, and an alertness that Itachi hadn’t noticed in months.

“Shisui?” asked Izumi.

 _‘How are you?’_ signed Itachi.

“I feel great,” stated Shisui. He placed two fingers over his forehead to demonstrate. “My head…it’s completely clear…the joint pain…it’s practically gone…”

“Wait, what?”

“My head,” Shisui rubbed his forehead. “It feels fine. My joints, they’re fine too. I feel like normal again!”

“Do you think this is just a good day?” asked Izumi.

“I don’t know,” Shisui shook his head. “But I feel like I could go out on a mission right now!”

“Don’t even think about it,” warned Ayako, chiding him. “I’m not letting you out on any missions again.”

“But oka-chan,” protested Shisui.

“It’s a miracle,” announced Hiromasa.

“I wonder what oka-san will say,” stated Izumi.

* * *

_"Try not to move, the wound is still healing,” urged Hazuki, one hand under his head, the other beneath his shoulder. Mikoto reached behind her and carefully readjusted Itachi’s pillow. “We’ll help you.”_

_Mikoto and Hazuki both manoeuvred Itachi so that he sat upright against the pillows. In this higher, more supported position, he finally saw the sleeping figure of Shisui beside him. Ayako sat beside his bed on a stool, her upper body draped across the mattress next to Shisui. Her wild hair spread across the mattress, whilst one of her hands held Shisui’s._

_Shisui’s face was deathly white, and his lips were blue. There was a thick wad of gauze strapped across where his eye should have been. Itachi drew in a deep breath, and his alarmed eyes flickered over to Mikoto and Hazuki._

_“It’s all right, he’s still with us,” said Hazuki._

_“You’ve both been in a dreadful fight,” explained Mikoto. “Do you remember what happened?”_

_Itachi’s eyes cast over her appearance. Her usually glossy hair was dishevelled even more than Ayako’s, there were flecks of blood staining her skin, and blood caked under her nails._

_‘D…Danzo…’ he mouthed._

_“He’s gone,” soothed Mikoto, reaching down to stroke back his hair. “You’re safe now.”_

_‘Sh…Shisui…’ he whispered._

_“I managed to save him,” said Hazuki. “Apart from the eye and a few scratches, there were no obvious injuries on him. But it was poison, from the Aburame boy’s insects.”_

_‘How?’ Itachi mouthed. He remembered Danzo telling him that Sugaru’s poison couldn’t be removed, that it would break down upon death and that no one would ever know how or why Shisui died. And that there would be nothing that Itachi or anyone else could do._

_“What is it, sweetheart?” asked Mikoto, frantically staring at his face and watching the movement of his lips to see what he said._

_‘How…how…’ Itachi repeated._

_“I had some rare antidotes,” replied Hazuki, turning away back to the desk on the other side of the room. There was an open medical kit, and an open kit full of various vials of different coloured liquids. She lifted an empty needle vial to show them all. “I bought them from many different places, intending to break them down to study them, and see if I could use them for expectant mothers or postpartum for blood poisoning. But I never had the chance.”_

_Itachi swallowed, and then felt raging pain in his throat. He blinked away the pain, and tried to focus on breathing shallow breaths._

_Hazuki lifted the empty vial and studied it. “This particular one I bought in Sunagakure, from a puppet master who specialised in poisoning his opponents via weapons concealed in his puppets. He said he usually didn’t care to create antidotes for his poisons but in this case, he was fascinated by the abilities of a teammate. I chose it for it’s regenerative properties, but really, I don’t think it’s done enough, but in all honesty…”_

_Hazuki trailed off and stared at Shisui’s ghostly pallor._

_“It was my last and only option.”_

_Itachi’s hands lifted, and he mimed writing in mid-air. Mikoto reached over, and handed him a sketchpad and pen._

_‘Will he be ok?’ wrote Itachi._

_“I couldn’t possibly say,” admitted Hazuki. “Really, I’m only a midwife.”_

_‘Tsunade?’ Itachi scrawled on the piece of paper._

_“I’m not taking my son to see that drunkard Senju bitch,” growled Ayako. Her eyes glowered fiercely as she opened them from where she lay._

_“Ayako,” began Hazuki. “She had nothing to do with this. She isn’t even in the Village right now!”_

_“All my life, I taught my son the values that my father Kagami taught to me,” Ayako continued to glower, whilst lifting herself upright onto her elbows. “Self-sacrifice, the good of the Village, and what good did it do? We are still untrusted. I will never, ever forgive any of them.”_

_“Danzo is dead,” assured Mikoto. “ROOT are dead. The perpetrators are dead. We can’t afford to hold grudges and make things worse right now.”_

_“I don’t care,” Ayako glared at the sickly pallor of her son. “He’s my only child…I wish I’d never listened to my father.”_

_“Ayako!” admonished Hazuki. “Your father was a better man than mine. He taught you better ideals. Don’t give up on them because of one corrupt village official.”_

_Ayako shook her head, firmly and slowly. Her gaze never left Shisui. “It’s not just him. Others will take his place and the cycle will continue. And any village that holds the lives of their shinobi in contempt…is no village worth serving anymore.”_

* * *

“Oh, she’ll be delighted,” said Ayako. Her hand went subconsciously to her stomach. “She delivered him and saved both our lives.”

“Oka-chan,” protested Shisui again, his cheeks blushing pink.

“Will you two be staying for breakfast?” asked Hiromasa, taking Ayako’s bag and rummaging through for the breakfast things his wife had bought. He laid out bread, honey, eggs, fresh fruit, and then began to pull out various pots and pans to begin cooking.

“I was meant to meet Mikoto-sama for training,” replied Izumi, glancing at her watch.

“Go on, you better go,” instructed Ayako, waving her hand in dismissal. “Itachi?”

 _‘I have things to do,’_ Itachi explained.

“See you later!” called Shisui.

Itachi waved, but was already running back to his house. He flung open the door, slammed it shut and hurried up the stairs.

Kisame lay relaxing in bed where Itachi had left him when they’d woken up together. After their first love-making session in the bathtub, they’d dried themselves off and crawled into Itachi’s bed together. Kisame had curled his large muscular body around Itachi’s slender lithe one, tucking an arm across his waist, and they’d fit together perfectly. Two empty cups of tea rested on Itachi’s bedside table that he’d brought for them to sip in companionable silence when they’d woken up this morning.

Itachi knelt beside the bed and began to sign. _‘Shisui. He’s better. Did you do this?’_

Kisame nodded.

_‘How?!’_

Kisame lifted his hand, and let the fingertips glow fluorescent blue. Itachi reached out, and took it in his, marvelling at the glowing tips. His thumb ran along the length of Kisame’s fingers.

 _‘You are medical nin?’_ asked Itachi.

Kisame shook his head.

_‘You heal people?’_

Kisame lifted his hand, and gestured to himself, and signed _‘shark.’_ Itachi supposed that maybe Kisame’s ability to heal was linked to his shark-like appearance and qualities, although he didn’t know enough about sharks to know how it would work. He wished he could ask more, but knew Kisame didn’t have enough signing vocabulary to explain yet.

But even so, he would always be grateful for what Kisame had done for Shisui.

Itachi re-reached for Kisame’s hand, and then kissed his fingertips, one by one. Unable to resist, he climbed back onto the bed, swinging a leg either side of Kisame’s hips so that he straddled him. He leant down, and pulled Kisame into a long kiss before lying down at his side, nestling in the warm and comfortable crook between Kisame’s arm and body. Kisame wrapped his muscled arm tightly around Itachi, holding him firmly and securely.

One broad hand began to comfortingly run in circles over Itachi’s hip. Itachi shivered with pleasure, before shuffling closer so that his head rested on Kisame’s sturdy chest. He lifted his leg, throwing it over Kisame’s so they were joined in a tangle. Kisame’s hand stroked further downwards, before giving Itachi a firm squeeze on the buttocks.

Itachi squeaked with surprise, then giggled. He found he didn’t mind Kisame hearing the little squeaks and squawks he made whenever they were together. Just like how he didn’t mind Kisame touching his scars.

At midday, Itachi sat up, realising that he had to go to the market for more salt and recalling the list that Mikoto had left for him. He kissed Kisame goodbye, and slipped on some shoes. The silly smile still wouldn’t leave his lips as he wandered through the Compound, into town.

After buying what Mikoto had asked for, he walked over to the fishmonger and selected Kisame’s favourites, and then over to the dumpling shop, where he picked up some dango. He circled around the market, before suddenly becoming aware of a presence beside him.

“I asked you to meet me before, I won’t ask again,” the mysterious woman warned in a low voice. Itachi felt a paper butterfly pressed in his hand. “Burn it when you’ve read it.”

Itachi opened the note.

_‘Meet me at the Konoha nightclub. At 11. I will be waiting.’_

Itachi turned to face her, but her figure was disappearing into the throngs of people yet again.

 _‘Who are you?’_ he wanted to ask, but already she was gone.

Itachi walked home quickly, carrying his basket and rolling the note over between his fingers and tucking it in his sleeve. Back at home, he took Kisame another cup of tea and some snacks, and then ate with him, pondering on what to do.

If the woman had ill intentions, she would have acted by now, Itachi decided. As much as he wanted to spend the night with Kisame and not the stranger, he realised that unless he wanted to know her intentions, then he would have to meet her.

But he would not go alone.

* * *

“I can’t believe we’re going to a nightclub,” stated Izumi.

Itachi hushed her, as they snuck through the trees towards the wall surrounding the Compound.

“It feels so wrong,” explained Izumi. “The son and heir of the Uchihas, sneaking out after curfew to go clubbing.”

 _‘Not clubbing,’_ Itachi signed back.

“Now you know all the mischief that the rest of us get up to,” replied Izumi.

 _‘No plan to make habit,’_ Itachi signed back. Izumi laughed, before they found the wall that surrounded the Compound. Both she and Itachi leapt up onto one of the lower branches of the nearest tree, walked to the edge, then clamoured on top of the wall. They both staggered in a way that was almost unbecoming of a shinobi and a kunoichi, as neither wanted to get their clubbing clothes dirty. At the top of the wall, Izumi held out her hand to Itachi, and they leapt down, landing on their feet neatly.

After that, they walked down into the village, following the signs to the nightlife district. Itachi’s eyes darted around, wondering when and if they would be spotted. But no one looked at him or Izumi strangely, their eyes glazed over as they carried on with their own business. He frowned.

“Sometimes, the best way to hide is in plain sight,” stated Izumi. She turned to look at him. “Your mother taught me that.”

At the nightclub, they waited in line alongside the rest of the Konoha civilians.

“Look at the Hyugas with their pre-booked flashy fast passes,” muttered Izumi. “I might ask oka-san’s new lover if he’ll get me one.”

Itachi shook his head. He would have bought one himself, but decided that with the rules of the curfew, that it would have attracted too much attention.

At the door, Itachi paid, and then flashed his ID.

“Another pair of Uchihas sneaking out, eh?” asked the bouncer.

Itachi clenched his fist and debated whether or not to activate his Sharingan.

But Izumi grinned, and winked. “Even us Uchihas need to have a good time and cut loose.”

The bouncer immediately laughed. “And have you brought something for the boys?”

“Here you go,” Izumi held out another few ryo notes.

“You have a good night, missy,” instructed the bouncer. She and Itachi slipped inside. Immediately, Itachi was assaulted by the pumping music that thudded up through the floor, into the heart of his chest. The neon lights scattered across the floor, casting eerie lights across the faces of the occupants.

Itachi hated it on sight. It was too loud, too disorganised, and he couldn’t see or hear a thing.

“Do you want a drink?” Izumi shouted into his ear.

Itachi shook his head.

“You’ve got to have a drink!” Izumi insisted. “I’ll get it!”

Itachi allowed her to drag him to the bar, which was little more than a cease pit of drunks waving their cash at the poor, harried bartenders. Izumi smiled at one of the male bartenders, and already he rushed over to serve her. Izumi leant over, shouted her order in his ear and then exchanged more ryo notes. She turned and handed Itachi a nasty lurid blue confection.

“Try it!” she insisted. “You like sweet things!”

Itachi loved sweet things, but when he sipped the garish confection it was like drinking pure acid. He nearly spat it out, but for want of retaining his dignity, swallowed the drink.

Izumi laughed delightedly, and they began to circle around the dancefloor, looking for the mysterious woman. Itachi took in the horrible sights of people debauching themselves and wanted to vomit.

There was a blonde-haired woman who wore her hair up in a high half ponytail, half a fringe covering one eye, along with a crop top and tight leggings. She flexed her body in time to the music, swaying alongside a shirtless silver-haired man wearing a silver pendent. When she turned around to face him completely…Itachi looked at her throat, spotted the Adam’s apple, and realised that she was actually a boy.

Both the blond-haired boy and the silver-haired man stared at Itachi, and then Izumi. Their eyes turned back to each other and they both nodded.

Itachi’s stomach began to sink.

“Konan-sama is this way,” the blond slid his arm through Itachi’s, and began to guide him off to one of the booths on the edge of the room. Itachi gripped Izumi tightly, but there was nothing they could do, as the silver-haired man walked behind them, practically treading on their heels. Itachi debated against fighting them off, deciding it wasn’t time to start a confrontation.

The blond led them into a private section, away from the main dancefloor, where it was calmer and quieter. Groups of people gathered in booths and hunched over drinks to speak to each other. At the booth that the silver-haired man the blond boy led them too, the blue-haired woman with the lip-piercing from earlier perched behind the table, sitting on the sticky cushioned bench like it was a throne. She wore a tight black figure-hugging halter neck dress, along with a matching black pair of gladiator heels. Beside her, a large hulking man covered in stitches glowered at anyone who dared approach. He looked like he wanted to be anywhere else but here.

Itachi sympathised.

“Take a seat,” instructed the woman. Itachi and Izumi sat down on the bench opposite the woman at the other side of the table, feeling the sticky cushion stick to them both. Itachi briefly wondered if this was meant to be the private seating area, what the rest of the club had to offer for seating. “May I offer you any drinks?”

Itachi shook his head, and held up the drink Izumi bought him.

“No thank you,” said Izumi politely.

“I’ll have another cocktail,” said the woman. She turned to the silver-haired man. “Hidan, if you would be so kind?”

“Who do you think you are, demanding drinks off of me, the goddamn queen?” demanded Hidan.

“Precisely,” said the woman.

Hidan stormed off. The blond snickered, and sat beside the blue-haired woman.

Itachi sat opposite the blue-haired woman, and Izumi sat next to him.

“Do you know who I am?” asked the woman, staring at him with her amber eyes.

Itachi shook his head.

“You may call me Konan,” said Konan. “And you are?”

Itachi signed the letters of his name.

"Can't you talk?" asked Deidara, frowning at his signs.

"He's mute," replied Izumi, as Itachi folded his fist, shook it against his mouth, then pointed to himself, and then his ear. "He can hear you. He’s called Itachi, and I’m Izumi.”

“This is Kakuzu,” Konan gestured to the man with her. Kakuzu nodded curtly, and then watched them with gloomy red and green eyes. She gestured to the blond. “Deidara.”

“Hello,” said Izumi. Itachi nodded his greeting. His eyes flickered around the group, noticing that they had all painted their nails, and that they all wore a ring on one of their fingers with a kanji symbol on.

“Do you have any idea why I asked to meet you?” asked Konan.

Itachi shook his head.

“I asked to meet you, because I have reason to believe that your family is holding one of my associates captive,” stated Konan simply.

Itachi felt Izumi’s eyes try to meet his. He refused to look at her, and stared back at Konan.

“You have been kind to him, I am aware,” admitted Konan. There was an element of pity, mingled with surprise, in her expression and in her voice. But Itachi was not convinced. “I have noticed you purchasing his favourite food at the market. Tell me, why didn’t you come before?”

 _‘I could not,’_ signed Itachi. _‘I am the clan heir, I had to attend a meeting.’_

“It’s rather rude to stand a lady up, yeah,” Deidara added. Itachi ignored him, and allowed Izumi to interpret for Konan.

“I am the leader of an organisation called the Akatsuki,” Konan carried on. “Do you know what the Akatsuki stands for and what we do?”

“You’re terrorists,” replied Izumi boldly.

“According to your village’s propaganda, yes,” replied Konan. “But we are a revolutionary organisation. One that is about to change the world.”

There was so much strength and conviction in her words, that Itachi almost wanted to believe it. But he held back, and allowed her to continue speaking.

“I want my associate released,” stated Konan. “He is our teammate and dear to us.”

Deidara stared sulkily across the table under his fringe.

“Your clansmen captured him whilst on a mission with Deidara in Kirigakure,” Konan explained, gesturing to Deidara. “They used genjutsu to lure Deidara away-”

“I’ll kill them with my art as soon as I see them, yeah,” muttered Deidara, staring at his hands. Itachi noticed a tongue protruding from Deidara’s palm that flickered. He stared, realising that the tongue was a part of a mouth growing on Deidara's palm, and frowned, wondering what kind of mutation or jutsu this was. Deidara noticed him staring, lifted his hand and made the tongue blow a raspberry at him. Itachi wanted to recoil, but refused to give Deidara that satisfaction. He held him composure, as the heir to the Uchiha clan should.

“And then they set upon him as soon as he was alone. I don’t imagine that it was a fair fight,” Konan finished.

Itachi stared at the table. The revelation that Kisame was an Akatsuki member…and therefore an S-Rank Missing-nin criminal…

“Itachi,” said Konan, her voice louder and clearer as there was a lull in the music as the tracks segued into one another. She reached across the table for his hand. “Kisame belongs with us. We are his team, his family. He cannot live hidden at the Compound with you forever.”

Itachi didn’t reply, instead staring at her orange-red nail polish.

“Why didn’t you release him the moment you orchestrated the escape?” asked Konan.

Itachi removed his hand from hers, and began to sign. _‘He was injured.’_

“He was injured,” interpreted Izumi.

“Bullshit. Kisame regenerates and heals himself! Hm!” Deidara scoffed.

“Not completely. Not without Samehada,” corrected Kakuzu.

Realisation dawned on Itachi as he realised just how very important Samehada was to Kisame.

There was a minor disturbance, as Hidan reappeared and laid a cocktail down in front of Konan. Konan accepted it, and took a sip. Hidan sat beside Deidara and put his feet up on the table, his hands going to a silver rosary hanging from his neck and fiddling with it.

 _‘There were chakra suppressing chains in the tank,’_ explained Itachi. Izumi interpreted. Immediately, both Kakuzu and Deidara sat upright, slamming their fists on the table. Hidan jolted off the table, and back down into his seat, but looked equally disgusted.

“A tank? Chains?” demanded Kakuzu.

“That was how they kept him confined,” replied Izumi.

Kakuzu scowled furiously. Itachi noticed the two navy blue identical bands tattooed around each of his wrists; a sign of former incarceration.

“Just who’s side are you on?” demanded Deidara.

Itachi glared at Deidara.

“We did what we could,” said Izumi firmly, leaning forwards on the table. “You must remember that there are family politics within our clan, and that Itachi’s situation is a precarious one.”

“I want Kisame released right now,” insisted Deidara. “Release him or I’ll bomb your house.”

Itachi raised an eyebrow at the childish threat.

“He’s not joking, he will do it,” added Hidan.

“That is a scenario I would prefer to avoid,” admitted Konan, laying her hands on the table. “But if Kisame isn’t released soon, we will have no choice but to attack. And I would so hate to tear apart such a loving family…but I’m afraid I may be left with no choice.”

The music continued to thud, matching the pangs that had begun in Itachi’s heart.

“He must recover from his injuries first,” said Izumi firmly. “My mother is a medical nin. She examined him after we rescued him. He has an open wound on his leg, an infection, and she said he needs to rest and recover from whatever effect the chakra suppressing had on him.”

“How do we know this isn’t a ruse, yeah?” Deidara folded his arms.

“Because Itachi and I have come here, in good faith, unarmed, and at great costs to ourselves, to liaise with you,” retorted Izumi.

When Itachi was clan head, he immediately resolved to make Izumi his chief advisor.

“Kisame has almost limitless levels of chakra,” replied Konan. “They call him the Monster of the Hidden Mist, although it’s hardly flattering. That makes no sense to me.”

Itachi shuddered at ‘monster.’

 _‘He is no monster,’_ he signed. But his words went unanswered, as Izumi spoke again, answering Konan’s words.

“Oka-san explained that our clansmen were likely using jutsus and techniques that were too advanced for them to understand. We don’t know the full extent of what they were, and given that these clansmen are not those we trust or particularly enjoy affiliating with, we cannot ask them, and even if we did, then they likely wouldn’t answer, whilst we risk alerting them to the fact we helped him escape. But what we do know is that his chakra was suppressed for an extended period of time,” Izumi smoothly replied.

“What about his physical strength, then?” asked Konan.

“He’s fighting off an infection,” replied Izumi. “Oka-san said that Kisame needs to rest. He is beginning to look well again and can heal his injuries, as well as those of others.”

Konan still did not look convinced, and simply stared at Izumi. Izumi stared straight back. Itachi glanced back and forth, wondering who was going to break the silence.

“Our Compound is monitored twenty-four-seven by security cameras, and our members must adhere to nightly curfews where we must all be present in our Compound, by sundown. There are few opportune moments where he could escape, even if he were able to. But we are working on it,” replied Izumi.

“Very well,” Konan did not look entirely convinced. But instead, she reached inside a small clutch bag she had brought with her. She pulled out a ring, and slid it across the table towards Itachi. “We recovered this ring from the waters in Kiri, nearby to where Kisame was captured. If you would be so kind, please give this ring to Kisame, and tell him that we are thinking of him.”

Itachi nodded, and accepted the ring. He slid it inside his pocket, already burning from the weight of it.

"You're the Uchiha, meant to be the strongest clan in the Village, and descended from one of the co-founders," stated Konan, looking at his eyes, and then at Izumi's. "Why are you subjected to curfews?"

 _'My mother murdered Danzo Shimura,'_ Itachi signed.

"Itachi's mother killed Danzo Shimura in self-defence," interpreted Izumi, although Itachi couldn't help but notice that Izumi had added the extra detail on the end.

"Clearly she is a strong and capable kunoichi, and someone to be feared," replied Konan. Itachi wondered if there were any further clues in her words, but Konan soon changed the topic. “If you need to contact me, then my butterflies are never far."

Izumi frowned. “The paper…in the Compound…it was you?”

“It’s my specialty,” replied Konan. She turned to her team members, and they turned back to her. “I think we have said everything we need to say, don’t you agree?”

“You release Kisame, yeah?” demanded Deidara, leaning across the table. “And you tell him I’m coming to get him. Hm!”

“I’ll remember to do so,” Izumi lifted her chin. She laid her hand on Itachi’s arm, signalling that they were ready to leave.

Itachi flung himself upright, and Izumi followed. They weaved through the hordes of people, narrowly avoiding having glasses of drink spilled on them and being dragged into dances. At the door, Itachi pushed past the bouncers wishing him a goodnight and ran. He didn’t stop until he reached a desolate alley. He stopped, and then slammed his fist against the wall. Silent wails of anguish escaped his lips, as he slammed his fist, again and again.

“Itachi?” Izumi called. She caught up with him, then grabbed his arm with her fist. Itachi had little time to marvel at how her strength had increased since she’d last used force against him to spar, as she wrapped her arms around him. “Oh, Itachi. I’m sorry. There, there. It’s all right. I know, I know.”

Itachi opened his mouth and howled silently against her shoulder.

“There, there,” Izumi patted the back of his head. “It’s all right. But this was always going to happen.”

Reluctantly Itachi nodded against her shoulder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you very much for reading&for your patience!
> 
> you guys also know how I do things...any comments, concerns, questions, etc, please leave me a comment below and let me know! I love short/long comments, am grateful for feedback&support. i'm also happy to accept constructive criticism, as long as it is polite&respectful, and actually constructive. :P


	15. Discovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stunned by the revelation, Itachi returns home to confront Kisame. But things take an unexpected turn when his family get involved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys! thanks again for waiting :) I know fortnight updates are slower but i've managed to get further ahead and write more of the concluding chapters.
> 
> in this chapter, we have the infamous bathroom flooding scene from the film. I know there was some criticism that it wasn't realistic but I thought it was a beautiful scene and wanted to include it.
> 
> I know it might not also seem realistic for Itachi to accept Kisame again so soon after the revelation, but I hope i've made it clear enough that Itachi is very influenced&affected by his loneliness and his general belief that there are two sides to every story.

Sneaking back into the Uchiha Compound was not quite so fun as sneaking out of it. Itachi and Izumi moved slowly, and slightly more clumsily now that they’d each had a drink. Itachi was silent, silent as ever, his thoughts mulling over and over about what he knew now.

Kisame was in the Akatsuki.

Kisame was an S-rank missing-nin.

Kisame was a criminal.

But how could a man who was all of those things hold him so tenderly and kiss Itachi like he was the most precious thing in the world?

He glanced across at Izumi, to see if he could read what she was thinking, but her head was downcast, her long hair covering her face from him.

Itachi turned back and gazed at the path ahead of him.

Things were never black and white. Shisui had taught him that, and Ayako had taught Shisui that, and before that, Kagami had taught Ayako that. Maybe there was more to Kisame's story. Itachi knew very well that the Hidden Villages were not fair to even the most loyal and self-sacrificing citizens. He knew of many stories where a noble shinobi had given their all, only to have their sacrifice thrown back in their face, seemingly for no good reason or for no lasting significant deed or legacy.

When he was a little boy, Mikoto had told both him and Sasuke stories about the creation of the village, about the assassination attempt on Hashirama Senju and what had happened to the would-be assassin when he returned to Takigakure. It had very nearly happened to him, when Danzo had tried to make him...

Itachi shook his head furiously, trying desperately not to imagine that. He tried not to look at Izumi, tried not to imagine to horror of her body pierced by the blade of his katana, the hurt and betrayal shining in her eyes, as the life bled out of her, before she could even reach her full potential as a kunoichi and a woman.

_Thank god things had changed before that._

But maybe in Kiri, a similar thing had happened to Kisame.

Itachi nibbled his lip, wondering whether he ought to ask, if Kisame would want to talk about it. Itachi wondered if he would be able to listen, if he would be a fitting confidant. Itachi wanted to be, hoped that he was worthy enough to be.

But if Kisame were to leave, then maybe he wouldn’t even have that chance.

And the thought of Kisame leaving him broke his heart in two. Itachi swallowed, trying to lessen the lump at the back of his throat. Until Kisame had arrived, Itachi had been lonely. He had Sasuke, he had Izumi, he had Shisui, his mother, father, the aunts and uncles he liked, but none of them truly understood him. They weren’t mute. Not all of them knew sign language. Itachi often felt locked out of social gatherings, events, even out of simple everyday conversations. With Kisame, he never felt like that. He felt like he was in the moment, that he was with Kisame, well and truly.

They were one soul in two bodies. Fire and water. Uchiha and Hoshigaki.

He and Izumi focused their chakra onto their feet, and began to scale the wall of the Compound, climbing onto the tree branches that hung over. They scrambled down, this time caring less about what happened to their clothing.

As they re-emerged into the main part of the Compound, they stuck to the shadows to avoid the cameras. Itachi saw Izumi safely to her house, before turning to go to his. He slipped in, noticing that Fugaku had fallen asleep on the sofa in front of the television set. Some paperwork sat beside him, whilst the television blared blue light across the room. Itachi crept past quietly, praying not to wake his father, and then up to his room.

In his room, Kisame sat up in bed, waiting for Itachi. When he looked up at Itachi, there was so much love in his eyes that Itachi could hardly bear to think of what Konan had said to him. All he wanted was to rush across the room, seize Kisame in his arms, stroke his dark blue hair, cradle his blunt jaw in his hands, kiss his forehead and hold him tightly.

Itachi slipped his hand in his pocket, and then pulled out the ring. He took a step forward, and offered it to Kisame in the palm of his hand.

Curiously, Kisame accepted it, and then his pale olive eyes flickered with recognition. They travelled up and met Itachi’s.

 _‘I know, Kisame,’_ Itachi signed.

Kisame stared into his eyes, and waited for Itachi to react.

Itachi turned away, and walked into the bathroom. He slotted the plug into the bottom of the bathtub, deciding that he needed to be in the water to feel clean again, and then turned on the taps as far as they would go. He heard footsteps, as Kisame joined him in the bathroom. He closed the door behind him, and when Itachi looked at his hands, noticed that Kisame hadn’t put the kanji ring on.

He gazed back up at the man, wondering what that was meant to mean.

Did he…want to stay with Itachi?

Suddenly, Itachi had an idea.

Itachi shoved several towels under the crack of the bottom of the door, and then twisted on the taps of the sink. Water filled the sink, and then gushed over the sides, splashing down onto the bathroom floor. The bathtub took longer, but then the water lapped over the edge, spilling over onto the floor. Kisame stared around curiously, before smiling as he realised what Itachi was doing for him.

Itachi smiled back, and then eased himself out of the sticky shirt he’d worn to the club, and the trousers. Naked and vulnerable, he stood before Kisame. The water lapped over his toes, cleaning away the horrible spilled mixer drinks that had somehow seeped through his shoes as he’d stepped through the club. As it reached his ankles, he began to feel clean again. He wanted to wash away the memory of the club and fill it with memories of Kisame.

Kisame stepped forwards, and reached for him, laying his hands upon Itachi's waist. Itachi let him, reaching up and laying his hands on Kisame's shoulders, and then there was water all around him. He felt it enveloping his lower body, and then his toes began to drift above the bathroom floor as he floated. Kisame leant down, and his hand splashed the surface, flicking some of the water at Itachi.

Itachi squealed playfully, and then splashed back. The water reached his neck now, although on Kisame, it had yet to reach his nipples. Itachi steadied himself, once again resting his hands on Kisame’s shoulders while Kisame supported him upright by holding his waist, so that his head remained above the water.

Once the water had closed over Kisame’s head, and Itachi was holding the ceiling to stay upright in the small pocket of air, he took a deep breath, before sinking down into the water opposite Kisame. Kisame looked so peaceful and blissful beneath the water, and Itachi felt his heart warm with joy. Bubbles gurgled from Kisame’s gills, whilst Itachi held his breath, releasing a bubble or two when he felt the need.

They embraced one another within the water, and Itachi let Kisame claim his lips. He felt his black hair billow freely, flowing with the water, and he had never felt so at peace. The blood roared in his ears, and he kissed away at every inch of Kisame he could reach, never ever wanting to let him go. His hands clawed at Kisame’s shoulders as they thrusted together in the rhythm they had established that was theirs and theirs alone. 

* * *

Downstairs, the water in Itachi’s bathroom began to seep through the floor and trickle down the ceiling. A drop landed on Fugaku’s creased brow, and he sat upright, roused from his slumber. Another drop landed on the centre of his head, and he looked upright at the pools of water forming and dripping from the ceiling.

“Itachi!” he yelled, recognising from his position in the house where the water must be coming from. Fugaku shoved aside his papers, and then hurried up the stairs. “Itachi! Turn those taps off!”

Fugaku wrested open Itachi’s door, frowning at the mess that Itachi had left. That wasn’t like his son. There were books, newspapers, magazines, empty snack wrappers and plates, sign language books, bandages, antiseptic wipes and all other kinds of things scattered across the bed, the desk, the floor. But Fugaku had barely any time to take in any of this, as water poured through the cracks of Itachi’s bathroom door. A puddle of water had formed around the door, soaking Itachi’s carpet and even the bedclothes that were thrown over the end of the bed.

Fugaku yanked on Itachi’s bathroom door, fighting the lock. Eventually, Fugaku won, and was greeted by several gallons of water bursting on his face for his efforts. He ducked, soaked through his clothes, and then looked upright.

There was his son, but he was not alone.

Itachi was clutched in the arms of the captive, his head gently resting against the captive’s shoulder, peeping over at Fugaku almost shyly. Water droplets clung to his eyelashes, and his damp hair curled. His cheeks were flushed with pleasure and passion.

The captive…Kisame, as Itachi claimed his name was, towered above his son, cradling him in his arms tenderly. His back was to Fugaku, and as Fugaku's stare travelled downstairs, he realised that Kisame was completely naked. Not a single inch of his body was left to Fugaku’s imagination. He even noticed a few red marks from where Itachi’s fingers must have clawed with passion as they coupled.

Itachi closed his eyes, and then nuzzled closer against Kisame.

“What the…” Fugaku was lost for words, as he stared and stared at just how…how blissfully _happy_ his son looked. “What the…ITACHI!”

Itachi broke apart from the captive. Startled, he stared at Fugaku with wide eyes, before grabbing one of the soaked wet towels and tying it around his waist to desperately try and preserve his modesty. But it was too late. Fugaku had, well and truly, seen _everything_.

Itachi handed one of the towels to Kisame, and held it above Kisame’s crotch. Kisame’s hands reached out, and he quickly tied it around himself, before turning to face Fugaku. Sheepishly, he bent his head.

Fugaku shook his head.

“What,” he growled through gritted teeth. “What the hell are you playing at?”

The commotion brought Sasuke and Mikoto running in. Mikoto wrapped her dressing gown around herself, whilst Sasuke ran his hands through his spiky hair.

“Where has all this water come from?” asked Mikoto, staring around at Itachi's soaked bedroom floor.

“What’s all the noise?” asked Sasuke.

They stopped, just behind Fugaku in the doorway, and stared.

“Oh,” mumbled Sasuke, his eyes darting away from his naked older brother.

Mikoto blinked. “Well…it’s nothing you haven’t seen before, Fugaku, dear.”

“Both of you,” Fugaku glared. “Put some clothes on. Then downstairs. Living room. Family meeting. Right now!”

* * *

Itachi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as he rummaged through his drawers and pulled out clean clothes. There was nothing here that would fit Kisame either, and so he gave him his dressing gown that tugged tightly against Kisame’s broad shoulders, revealing his muscled chest. Itachi cringed awkwardly, and then gave Kisame a pair of old stretchy oversized sweatpants that he’d worn whilst recuperating. Kisame just about managed to fit in, but they stretched tightly across his crotch instead.

Embarrassed, Itachi made his way downstairs where his parents sat waiting.

He’d never had to do this when he’d kissed Izumi for the first time. Nor had he had to do this when Shisui took his virginity.

Itachi sat stiffly in front of Fugaku, and Kisame sat beside him. He reached across, taking Kisame’s hand in his, hoping to reassure his lover.

Fugaku glared at them both. Mikoto watched Kisame warily as he towered above them, particularly her.

“You said, you released the captive,” growled Fugaku.

 _‘His name is Kisame,’_ Itachi signed.

“You said you released…Kisame,” Fugaku repeated. His expression hardened and his frown lines looked like someone had scribbled over his face in black marker pen. “And instead, I find him in your flooded bathroom…defiling you!”

“Itachi’s eighteen-” interrupted Mikoto.

“I’m not finished!” barked Fugaku.

“Don’t speak over me,” scowled Mikoto, a deadly glare appearing in her eyes. Fugaku was cowed, and backed down.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” he conceded.

“Itachi, was he hurting you?” asked Mikoto.

Beside him, Kisame’s breath hitched at such a thought. Itachi shook his head furiously, and squeezed Kisame’s hand tightly. Mikoto sighed, relieved.

Itachi freed his hand from Kisame’s to sign. _‘I love him.’_

“What is he saying?” asked Fugaku.

“He says he loves him,” Sasuke peered in from the door.

“ _He_ loves _him_?” Fugaku cried. Confusion wrote itself across his face. “But…what about Izumi?”

 _‘She likes girls,’_ signed Itachi.

“You’re the clan heir! Just how the hell do you expect the line to continue?” demanded Fugaku, completing ignoring what Itachi had signed.

Itachi simply pointed at Sasuke.

Fugaku groaned, frustration roiling at the back of his throat. “I had it all mapped out…I was going to ask Hazuki and start arranging a match now you’re both eighteen. I know her father was from outside the clan, but she’s still a strong kunoichi with a decent Sharingan, I thought she would make the perfect clan matriarch, the perfect candidate to take over from Mikoto-”

Fugaku stopped when Itachi flung a pen at his head, narrowly missing his ear. He stopped, and stared at his son.

 _‘Izumi has her own life to lead,’_ Itachi signed.

“What does that mean?” asked Fugaku.

“He said Izumi has her own life to lead,” explained Sasuke.

“Go to bed, Sasuke,” instructed Fugaku, suddenly realising that his youngest son was still present in the room.

“No! Why have I got to go to bed all the time something important is happening?” demanded Sasuke. “I was there, I helped save Kisame from our evil clansmen, I get to have a say!”

Itachi almost facepalmed.

“You dragged your younger brother into this?” Fugaku demanded.

“I wanted to help!” Sasuke corrected, standing in the doorway. “Because I knew it was the right thing to do!”

Fugaku groaned. “I held the clan meeting to give you some time to help… _Kisame_ escape, not hide him in my own house! I’m amazed our clansmen haven’t noticed his chakra signature yet, you’ve been putting our whole family at risk for days! And for love of the Will of Fire, I lied to the Hokage’s face for you!”

 _‘I am sorry,’_ signed Itachi.

“He says sorry,” added Sasuke.

 _‘He was hurt,’_ Itachi signed. He interrupted his signs to lay his hand on Kisame’s cheek. _‘Hazuki had to heal him and he had to recover.’_

“He says Kisame was hurt and that Hazuki had to heal him and he had to recover,” explained Sasuke.

“So Hazuki was involved in this as well?” demanded Fugaku.

“And Shisui and Izumi,” added Sasuke.

“Of course they were involved,” Fugaku shook his head, and then facepalmed.

“Izumi threatened Kenji and Youta with a kunai until I put them in a genjutsu,” announced Sasuke.

“That’s my girl, I trained her well,” stated Mikoto.

“Now is not the time!” Fugaku groaned. He slumped back on the sofa, before sitting back up, and looking at Kisame. “Listen, I’m sorry, Kisame, but you’ve got to leave-”

 _‘No!’_ Itachi frantically signed.

“My clansmen are looking for you, and the longer you remain here, the greater danger you place both yourself and my family in,” Fugaku spoke.

 _‘He has to rest!’_ Itachi signed. He seized hold of Sasuke, and yanked his brother in front of him, signing at Sasuke to interpret for him.

“Itachi says Kisame needs to rest,” Sasuke repeated.

“But not here,” Fugaku growled.

 _‘Yes. Here,’_ Itachi signed back. He carried on signing.

“Our clansmen injured him too much,” Sasuke repeated. “They used unknown jutsus and techniques they couldn't handle and it had a bad effect on him. He needs to stay and rest until he's recovered his strength and he can use his chakra fully again.”

Kisame reached over to the coffee table, and then picked up a pen and sketchpad that Itachi had left lying around. He started to flick through the pages, pausing briefly when he noticed some of the messages Itachi had previously written. But he carried on flicking through until he found a blank page. He started to scrawl a message, and then held it up to Fugaku. _‘I WANT SAMEHADA.’_

“What is Samehada?” frowned Fugaku.

Kisame scrawled again. _‘MY SWORD.’_

“Your sword? What, so you can attack us?”

Kisame shook his head crossly at Fugaku.

Itachi snatched the pen and paper. _‘HE WOULD NOT ATTACK US.’_

Fugaku groaned again. “I don’t believe this. I don’t believe any of this. I should never have let those three go to Kiri. I thought we would get some peaceful days in the Compound without them starting quarrels with higher ranked clansmen or hassling Hazuki, but instead? My storeroom is taken over, my food supplies diminished, I get a captive moved into my own home without my knowledge and now the Akatsuki are knocking on my doorstep!”

“How long does Kisame need to recover, Itachi?” asked Mikoto.

“What? What are you suggesting?” demanded Fugaku.

"Don't talk to me like that," Mikoto ordered. She shook her head, then turned back to Itachi and Kisame. “By the sounds of things, after everything he's been through, it’s the least we can do."

“The least?” frowned Fugaku.

“We should never have allowed those bastards the week,” said Mikoto.

Both Sasuke and Itachi stared at their mother, stunned at her language.

“I see that now,” Fugaku began.

“We should have done what Hiromasa and Chikao suggested,” said Mikoto, straightening her dressing gown. “But it’s too late to go back now. We can only move forward.”

Fugaku’s lines appeared below his mouth.

Mikoto turned back to Itachi. “How long does he need?”

 _‘Ask Hazuki,’_ signed Itachi.

“I will,” agreed Mikoto. She turned to Kisame. “You can stay as long as you need. We’ll protect you. But once you are recovered, it’s safest for you to go. We’ll help you make your escape.”

Kisame lifted up the notepad again, and tapped his message. _‘I WANT SAMEHADA.’_

“We’ll get you Samehada,” said Sasuke. “One of us can get it, right?”

Itachi shook his head.

“What is it now?” demanded Fugaku.

 _‘Only Kisame can pick Samehada up,’_ signed Itachi, remembering Izumi’s injured hand.

“When you’ve recovered, then you can go and get Samehada,” replied Fugaku. He climbed up, and then stared at the still dripping ceiling. “I’m going to go and sort out the wet bathroom. Are there any other surprises in my house I need to know about before I do anything else?”

The sound of a bark from Sasuke’s room suddenly echoed around the house.

“SASUKE!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you again for reading...what do you think will happen now that the rest of Itachi's family have discovered Kisame hiding in their house?!


	16. Shisui's Eye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Itachi comes to realise that his and Kisame's time together is growing short, and that he must make a plan to help Kisame escape. Meanwhile, his uncles have begun to realise what might have happened with their captive...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys! thanks again for waiting now that updates are fortnightly, i'm currently writing chapter 19, as this story will have 22 chapters in total. Everything is plotted, planned, and all I have to do is write!
> 
> As you can see, Itachi sings the song from the film, which I loved. I did have some plans to make him sing a traditional Japanese love song, but then couldn't make my mind up because they were all so lovely!
> 
> Also, you will notice that I have CHANGED Kisame's abilities from canon, to make it fit better as a crossover. You'll also realise why Itachi's uncles took him captive in the first place...

The one good thing about his family knowing about Kisame being in the house was that now Itachi and Kisame could sit in different rooms. This morning, they both sat at the kitchen table. Kisame’s leg wound was rebandaged, and propped up on one of the spare chairs, with a cushion to make sure he was comfortable.

They both sipped from teacups, and shared a breakfast that Mikoto had made between them. Kisame hungrily dug in, with a strength and vigour in his movements. Whenever he looked at Itachi, Itachi smiled and nodded, glad to see that he was eating and growing strong again.

But Fugaku’s words of warning, Itachi’s meeting with Konan, still plagued his mind. This couldn’t go on much longer. Kisame was going to have to leave soon.

Feelings swelled up inside of Itachi’s chest, and he didn’t know what to say or do. His eyes watered, and so he blinked them away.

Kisame glanced up at him again. Itachi smiled back, ignoring the water coating his vision. He stared back down at his own breakfast, and tried to think of something, anything, to take his mind away from his thoughts.

A song he used to sing to Sasuke as a child was the first thing to pop into his mind. He recalled the words like magic, remembered the feel of his brother snuggled in his arms, listening attentively as he gazed up at his big brother adoringly. How he wished he could sing them now. Sitting back up, Itachi peered up under the black wisps of hair that framed his face at Kisame.

“You’ll never know,” he whispered. He felt the sound bubbling inside his chest, then dying in his throat, before it could even reach his lips. All his lips could do was mouth the imitation. His hands remained limp in his lap. Itachi didn’t want to sign. “You’ll never know just how much I miss you. You’ll never know just how much I care.”

And then he imagined striding up, taking Kisame’s hand in his, and leading him out to dance in the kitchen, that soon became a grand hall full of people. He imagined himself and Kisame in formal haoris, dancing before the rest of the Uchiha clan. Mikoto, Ayako, and Hazuki all wore tomesode, Izumi and some of the girls Mikoto trained who had come of age wore furisode. Sasuke scampered around in a haori too, his dark eyes wide. Shisui ruffled Sasuke’s hair, and he stood upright, both eyes intact, healthy and free of his migraines and joint pain. Even Fugaku was there. He could picture them all standing in a ring around them, watching admiringly and with love.

“And if I tried, I still couldn’t hide, my love for you. You ought to know, for heaven I told you, a million or more times. You went away, and my heart, went with you. I speak your name, in my every prayer. If there is some other way, to prove that I love you. I swear, I don’t know how. You’ll never know if you don’t know now,” Itachi’s mind returned to reality, and he realised that he was still uselessly mouthing the words. His shoulders slumped, and he leant heavily on the table. 

* * *

Outside, in a few houses away, Shou sat looking at his hand.

In just a few days, it had blackened. He had been to see Hazuki several times, and each time she had administered an antiseptic, admonished him for not keeping it clean, and telling him that it would heal. Whenever he demanded further medical knowledge, she simply replied that she was a midwife, and that he asked too much of her. Shou would have gone into the Village, and asked for a second opinion, but he was an Uchiha and he trusted the rest of the Village as much as they trusted the Uchiha.

It hurt, too. Shou felt it throbbing from the stumps where his fingers had been, through his palm, and up his arm. He gritted his teeth, and wrinkled his nose at the awful stench. It smelt worse than the battlefields he’d trekked through, and he had to carry it around with him all day. Many of the other Uchiha had taken to avoiding to him, even crossing to the other side of the road, or darting the other way when they saw him coming.

Shou grunted, his cheeks burning with the shame of it all.

At least Osamu and Rikuto were still here.

They’d all been teammates since they were very young boys, and fought together for many years. They shared dreams, hopes, aspirations, fears, and missions. There was nothing that got past the two that Shou wouldn’t hear of, and vice versa. Shou was smart enough to know that, for an Uchiha, he wasn’t the most formidable opponent in the world.

But when he, Rikuto and Osamu were together, it was a different story.

They were all perfectly in sync with each other, they knew each other’s moves and signature battle styles and preferences. Sometimes they could even guess the other’s thoughts by reading each other’s faces. Since a young age, they had learned these things about each other. And through their synchronization, had somehow managed to bumble their way through a shinobi career.

Right now, Rikuto sat in his armchair, staring out the window at the Compound. Today, they’d left Kenji and Youta in charge of sitting outside the storeroom with the weapon taken from the captive still inside, and relaxed in Rikuto’s house. Out of the window, they watched Sasuke run down to the Village after breakfast for training with his sensei and his team. Then, as the day grew on, they watched Hazuki run down to the village in a loose yukata and dark lipstick. Her hair was down, and so they knew exactly what she was up to. Shou scrunched his thin nose with disgust at her shameless behaviour. Then they’d watched Hiromasa tend to his garden for several hours, watching him pluck various herbs from a small herb corner, before returning inside. Half an hour later, Ayako ran out of her house, yelling at one of her cats for bringing her a dead bird. There was nothing unusual there.

Then, Fugaku had walked out his house, carrying several tonnes of sodden plaster and wood. He dumped it down in his front garden, and then blew _katon_ over it. Shou watched Rikuto frown, and then open the window to listen for further information.

“What happened?” asked Yashiro, as he walked past.

“Itachi wanted to know what would happen if he left the taps on in his bathroom,” grumbled Fugaku. “I was asleep on the sofa…I woke up to water dripping on me. That boy…he’ll be the death of me one day…”

“ _Itachi_ flooded the bathroom? That’s the kind of thing I’d expect from your youngest.”

“Yes, well,” Fugaku frowned, looking at the smoking rubble. “I guess you could say Itachi likes the element of surprise.”

Yashiro carried on his way, and then Fugaku released another katon, clearing away all of the remaining rubble. He looked at the large scorch mark left on his lawn, and groaned loudly.

“Mikoto’s going to kill me,” he stated to himself. Then his eyes turned in the direction of Hiromasa’s house, but not before narrowing in the direction of Rikuto’s house. He, Shou and Osamu had stepped back at that, and only when Fugaku had stamped a few houses away into the Compound calling for Hiromasa to help him restore the lawn, did they step back to look out the window again.

“Itachi flooded his bathroom?” scowled Rikuto.

“Hmph,” scorned Osamu. “The boy is an idiot. Seems as though Danzo also whacked him on the head, along with slitting his throat.”

“And when you think of what a prodigious kid he was, how useful he could have been,” Shou added.

“Not anymore,” said Rikuto. He sounded almost gleeful.

“It’s our turn now,” said Osamu lowly.

At that, Rikuto settled back in his chair, and continued to watch out the window. Osamu returned to his open drink, and Shou carried on studying his hand. He unravelled, and rewrapped the bandages several times, holding his nose tightly.

“That thing stinks, Shou,” stated Osamu.

“I know it stinks,” barked Shou.

“Have you told Hazuki?”

“I’ve been to see that whore several times now,” Shou growled. He wrinkled his nose distastefully at the thought of Hazuki’s haughty look, the way she jutted out her chin and lifted her nose in the air, as her braid swung righteously over her shoulder. The mere thought of that woman made his stomach roil. “And each time, apparently I’m not taking care of it enough, or I ask too much of her, as she’s only a midwife.”

“How about someone in the Village for a second opinion?” suggested Rikuto.

“Like I’d trust any of those idiots,” scorned Shou.

Outside, Fugaku had presented the scorched patch of grass to Hiromasa, and was urgently talking in a low voice about what to do. Hiromasa shook his head, and Fugaku looked pained.

Hiromasa leant closer to Fugaku, and muttered something in his ear. Fugaku suddenly grinned, and then both he and Hiromasa fetched a wheelbarrow, before walking down to the Village at a rapid pace.

“Fugaku’s leaving,” stated Rikuto.

“Anything urgent?” asked Shou. He bit his lip, wincing as the pain waved through his hand again.

“Probably to take care of the burnt patch on the lawn,” said Rikuto.

They watched out of the window, peering further through the Compound at Mikoto, Izumi and another group of girls from the clan. All three of their eyes flicked past, deciding there was nothing interesting about a group of women and girls playing with weapons.

As the day ticked past noon, the door to Shisui’s house opened again, and this time Shisui stepped out.

“Shisui’s out and about,” stated Rikuto.

Both Shou and Osamu peered out.

Shisui had a healthy flush in his cheeks instead of a ghostly white pallor, and his hair bounced in curls and waves, instead of sticking to his clammy forehead. He was still wearing his eyepatch that Naori gave him, but when he walked, there was no longer a stagger. His expression was relaxed, rather than a permanent grimace. His hands lay by his sides, and not pressed against his forehead. He didn’t even hold a cold compress, or a bottle of water.

“Look at him,” growled Osamu. “He looks good.”

“He hasn’t looked this well in months,” remarked Rikuto.

They watched as Shisui closed the door behind him, knelt down and petted one of Ayako’s cats that dozed on the mat, before carrying on his way. He walked down to Itachi’s house, snickered at the burnt circle on the grass, before knocking at the door.

Itachi himself opened the door.

“I’m not even going to ask,” Shisui announced, pointing at the burnt circle on the grass.

Itachi signed something, that neither Shou, Osamu, or Rikuto bothered to guess the meaning of. But as Itachi widened the door to let Shisui in, the three men stiffened, feeling a wave of familiar chakra rising to meet them.

“Is that the…?” Rikuto asked.

The three men pressed themselves against the window. But Itachi slammed shut the door, and as quickly as it had appeared, the sense of chakra disappeared. Their heads turned in the direction of the storeroom, where he noticed Tekka and Inabi had also opened the door of the storeroom, and were retrieving a sack of food supplies.

“It’s the weapon thing,” grunted Osamu. “It had the same signature as the captive did. Probably a ruse.”

“All the same…” stated Shou, speaking almost for the sake of attempting to take his mind off of the pain in his hand. “Those two are devious little shits.”

“They are,” agreed Osamu. “Along with Hazuki’s brat.”

“They weren’t present at the clan meeting the night the captive went missing,” added Shou.

“Shisui was in pain, Izumi’s not welcome, and I guess Itachi had to look after Sasuke,” replied Rikuto.

“What did Kenji and Youta say when we asked them what happened?” asked Shou.

“That they fell asleep,” said Rikuto.

“Do you think they’d fall asleep when we’d told them to do something?” asked Osamu.

“Not usually,” admitted Rikuto.

“Hmm,” frowned Osamu, staring out the window.

Shou turned back to his hand, at the black mottled flesh, and grimaced in pain.

* * *

Itachi closed the door quickly behind Shisui. Most of the windows and doors were shut, to keep Kisame and his chakra signature better concealed. The only two windows that were open were the windows to Itachi’s room and bedroom, to air out the sodden wet flooring and walls.

Fugaku was still fuming. He was going to have to repair the water damage by himself, as he didn’t want to allow anyone in the house and risk exposing Kisame. Even after the lecture about hiding a captive S-rank missing nin in his house, Itachi then had to endure a lecture about having sex responsibly and safely from both of his parents, while Sasuke laughed outside.

 _‘What is it?’_ signed Itachi.

“I’ve got something to show you,” announced Shisui.

 _‘Show me,’_ he signed again.

“All right,” Shisui lifted one hand up to his eyepatch, and removed it. His eyelid remained closed, but there was already something very curious about the way it looked. Itachi had seen Shisui’s empty socket, and how his closed eyelid lay flat against it. But today, there was a round curve.

And with that, Shisui opened his eyelid, to reveal a new, freshly grown eye.

Itachi spluttered with shock. His hands flapped in the air, desperately thinking of the words to sign.

_‘How?!’_

“Since Kisame touched it,” replied Shisui, rubbing his eyelid self-consciously. “That night, I went to bed, feeling crap, like usual. Then I woke up, I felt some tingling, which Hazuki said I might feel due to some phantom limb syndrome or something. I ignored it, because the joint pain and the migraines were gone and I felt great. But then for the past few days, I felt more tingling. And then, when I was just about to get in the shower, I took off the eyepatch like usual, looked in the mirror, thought I’d open my eyelid and take a look and then…there it was.”

Itachi reached forwards, touching Shisui’s face, to take a better look. He wondered if his cousin was playing a prank on him, as if he thought putting a fake glass eye in his empty socket might make Itachi laugh about everything that had happened these past few days. But the eye roved, it blinked, in the exact same time as Shisui’s other eye. When Itachi blew a puff of air at it, it squeezed shut. It was genuine.

“I haven’t shown or told anyone apart from you,” added Shisui. “Otherwise, I’ll have to tell them what happened, and about Kisame.”

Itachi nodded, thinking to himself that was a wise decision.

Shisui closed his eyelid again, and pulled down the eye patch.

“I wonder what that guy really is, what he can really do,” said Shisui.

To Itachi, it was slowly becoming more and more obvious. If Kisame had the ability to regrow body parts and the ability to regenerate injured or disintegrating ones, then he knew exactly why his uncles wanted him so badly, and _exactly_ why Kisame’s abilities would be so very beneficial to the Uchiha.

 _‘We have to keep him safe,’_ Itachi signed. It dawned on Itachi again that keeping Kisame hidden in the Compound was never going to work as a long-term solution. Itachi would have to say goodbye sooner rather than later.

It was for the best. Itachi had a clan to rule someday, and Kisame was an Akatsuki member. They had their own separate duties. Itachi just hoped he’d never meet Kisame on a battlefield as each other’s final opponents.

_A battlefield._

Itachi startled at his own thoughts, realising for the first time that he had thought about and considered returning to active duty. Apart from Izumi’s prompting, her pestering him to train with her, it had never even crossed his mind. He thought his days were done, that he couldn’t use sign language at the same time as making hand seals whilst in battle.

And really, after the way Danzo had used him, the way everything had come to light, the lack of action and justice on the Third Hokage’s part, he doubted whether the Village deserved his service. He doubted everything he ever thought he knew, every value he’d held dear.

And he knew he wasn’t the only one. Ayako, Kagami Uchiha’s only daughter, had changed her mind about the values and lessons he’d taught her as a young girl, that she had then taught to Shisui, that Shisui had taught Itachi.

_But maybe there’s a different way to fight; different things to fight for. Maybe we are all beginning to realise that and change._

Shisui suddenly shifted. “You’re right. Is that his chakra? It’s strong.”

Itachi nodded.

“How the hell did those fuckers capture him?” frowned Shisui.

Itachi held up three fingers, signed _‘fight,’_ and then held up one finger. Then he pointed to his eyes, and held up another three fingers.

“I wonder if they copied any of the Hyuga’s abilities,” muttered Shisui. “Because of the chakra blocking suppressing thing, you know? And it wouldn’t surprise me if those three had raided one of Orochimaru or Danzo’s creepy laboratories for weapons or to learn forbidden jutsus.”

Itachi nodded, thinking that sounded likely. He would have to ask Hazuki, given that she was a little more knowledgeable in that area.

“Has he told you what happened at all?” asked Shisui.

Itachi shook his head.

“Maybe he’s embarrassed,” suggested Shisui.

Itachi held out his palms, and shrugged, to sign _‘why.’_

“Have you told him what happened to you?”

Itachi nodded.

Shisui raised an eyebrow sceptically. “All of it?”

Itachi shook his head frantically, signing ‘no,’ several times.

“Well, then,” said Shisui. “Why would he tell you what happened to him?”

Itachi began to sign again frantically. _‘I can’t tell him!’_

“Then how do you imagine any kind of future or relationship with him if you won’t be honest?”

Itachi held out his hands again to show that he didn’t know, and then started to sign again. _‘No future. No relationship. He is Akatsuki. I am Uchiha.’_

“And is that truly what you want?”

 _‘I am shinobi,’_ Itachi signed. _‘It doesn’t matter what I want.’_

“Oh,” Shisui tilted his head. “Sounds like the old Itachi is talking.”

Itachi pressed his hand to his forehead, and then felt his face involuntarily scrunch up.

“What is it?” asked Shisui.

Itachi held out a hand, and shook it frantically in Shisui’s face.

“You’re crying?”

Itachi shook his head.

Shisui wasn’t fooled easily. “Yes, you are.”

He leant across and wrapped an arm around Itachi’s shoulders. Itachi collapsed against his shoulder and burrowed his face, clinging to him tightly.

“It’s all right,” comforted Shisui. “It’s going to be all right. I’ve got you.”

Itachi released himself.

“We’ll start making plans to help him escape soon,” assured Shisui, holding Itachi’s face in his hands. “The sooner it’s over, the better.”

Itachi nodded slowly.

“Have you asked if you…could go with him?”

Itachi shook his head.

“Would you consider that?”

Itachi stared thoughtfully, studying the wall in front of him. Then he shook his head. That wouldn’t be a good idea at all. There was no way he could fit into Kisame’s world. The Akatsuki were S-rank missing-nin. They were terrorists who committed crimes like Itachi ate dango. None of their values and beliefs corresponded with Itachi’s, and there was no way he could…simply join in with them like he was a new bride joining her husband’s clan.

Itachi had been so stupid, allowing himself to fall so carelessly for Kisame like that.

But he’d been so lonely…

“I see,” said Shisui. “Then I suppose we better make that plan.”

Itachi nodded sadly.

“Is Kisame around?”

Itachi pointed to the kitchen.

He and Shisui walked into the kitchen. Kisame was still sitting in the same seat, with his injured leg propped up on one of the chairs. He gazed out of the window wistfully, towards the direction of the storeroom.

“Hey pal,” greeted Shisui. He lightly tapped his finger against his eyepatch. “Look! You’ve grown this back. I had no idea you could regrow eyes.”

Kisame’s lips spread in a wide toothy grin.

“How did you do it?” asked Shisui.

Kisame signed, _‘shark,’_ which Itachi had noticed, that after Itachi’s own name, was his favourite word.

“Sharks can regrow their eyes?” asked Shisui.

Kisame shook his head. He reached for a pen and some paper that Itachi and his family had taken to leaving around the house so that Kisame could communicate without relying on his imperfect sign language.

_‘They can regenerate their body parts, usually their teeth.’_

“Well, thanks,” Shisui offered Kisame a smile. “I feel great right now. You have no idea how much this means to me.”

He pulled out a chair, and sat down at the table next to Kisame. Itachi watched, joining in this scene of almost domesticity. He asked himself again how Kisame could sit socially with them, without hurting a fly, when he was in such an organisation as the Akatsuki.

 _‘You’re a good kid,’_ Kisame wrote. _‘You don’t deserve to suffer.’_

“Neither do you,” said Shisui.

Itachi watched as Shisui’s eye flickered back to Kisame’s injured leg. Guilt panged at Itachi once again for his clan’s behaviour. When he was clan head, he had already decided what he would do to individuals like Shou, Osamu and Rikuto. His most honoured clansmembers would be Izumi and Shisui, and Sasuke would be his interpreter and heir.

“Itachi and I have been talking,” explained Shisui. Kisame gave him a strange look, and Shisui laughed. “Well, I’ve been talking, Itachi’s been signing. We’ve been wondering how to help you escape.”

Kisame lifted his notebook, and then pointed to the _‘I WANT SAMEHADA’_ note. He picked up his pen, crossed out ‘want’ and replaced it with ‘need.’

“I’ve been watching out the window at the storeroom,” said Shisui. “Our clansmen have been guarding it twenty four seven. We might have to risk a confrontation to get Samehada. Are you all right with that?”

At ‘confrontation,’ Kisame’s lips spread in a toothy grin.

“You want to confront them?” asked Shisui.

Kisame grabbed the notebook, and then scrawled his reply. _‘KARMA,’_ he wrote.

Itachi leant against the table, his head resting in one of his hands, and listened and watched as they planned. Outside, he heard Fugaku and Hiromasa return, but chose to leave them to their task as he, Shisui and Kisame shared tea. The front door swung open, and then Itachi heard Mikoto’s laughter.

“Come and have a look at what your father’s done!” she insisted.

Itachi climbed up, and Kisame followed, limping slightly. They stood at the window, keeping back to avoid the glares of their clansmen, to see that Fugaku had filled the patch of grass he’d burnt the rubble in with several rose bushes.

“There, dear!” said Fugaku, putting his arm around Mikoto’s shoulders. “Do you like them?”

“Of course I like them!” Mikoto beamed.

Itachi wrapped his arm around Kisame’s waist.

Perhaps…in another world…or even a few months or a few years time…he would plant roses at the garden of his home with Kisame.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what do you think Itachi should do? Should he go with Kisame or stay in the Compound?


	17. Confrontations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Konan makes a decision, Ayako trains a younger kunoichi while Shisui and Izumi talk, Shou confronts Hazuki, and Fugaku finally confronts the trio of rogue Uchihas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so, i'm starting to move to the conflict of this fic! i have to admit, i DO struggle with remembering jutsus, how they work, their abilities, plotting out battles and fights etc, so i am concerned that the next few chapters could be quite inconsistent with how things are shown in the actual anime series. Any constructive feedback would be great!
> 
> You'll also get to see some changes to the Akatsuki since Itachi never joined in this au, such as Orochimaru still being Sasori's partner.
> 
> also...please don't hate me for the ending of this chapter D:

“That was the worst camping trip ever,” Hidan complained, for what Konan estimated was the hundredth time.

“Just shut up, yeah? You hate camping, we get it!” retorted Deidara.

“Both of you shut up,” grunted Kakuzu, where he hunched over on one of the twin beds, counting out his money.

Konan watched out of the window, at the civilians of Konoha as they walked past. She looked at their appearance, their colouring, their clothes, the symbols they wore, and committed each of them to memory. She noted the time of the day that they walked past, the time of the day that shinobi walked past on village patrol. She noted the time of the day that Uchiha clansmembers appeared in the streets, who they were most likely to be, where they went, and what they did.

“I won’t shut up!” Hidan argued. “If I ever get stuck in a tent with you again, I’ll kill you!”

“You can’t,” Kakuzu sighed, bored.

Konan watched as two Hyuga walked past, their blank eyes staring ahead. When Deidara returned to the base, ranting and raving out about the failed mission, the capture, Konan had immediately decided on a retrieval mission. Pain had initially been resistant, fearing the riskiness of such an operation, but Konan pointed out that Kisame was one of their most loyal members and full of intel about their organisation, making a retrieval necessary.

Obito soon wormed his way in, trying to give his opinion and commands, but Konan ignored him, and told him that _"Tobi would have a much better time staying at home and playing with his pencils and his colouring book."_

After interrogating Deidara thoroughly, Konan quickly suspected that Konoha shinobi, more specifically the Uchiha, were responsible, and selected a team. She chose Deidara, since he had first-hand experience with their enemy, and Kakuzu and Hidan. Orochimaru and Sasori were options she considered, given that Konoha was Orochimaru’s former home and he would be full of information on the region. But, Konan found Orochimaru a suspicious figure, and worried he would defect to his former village. Not to mention his disconcerting obsession with the Uchihas and their Sharingan. Besides, Sasori would be too impatient to sit and wait as Konan collected her intel on the Uchiha and how to fight them.

Kakuzu and Hidan, on the other hand, had no such connection to Konoha or any interest in the Uchiha. Konan thought their immortality might be an advantage over the Uchiha, should things come to battle.

Originally, the plan had been for her and Deidara to stay in the village to scope out and then negotiate with the Uchiha, whilst Kakuzu and Hidan camped in the secluded Nara Forest as back-up. But Hidan and Kakuzu had fought so bitterly whilst sharing a tent, eventually destroying the tent, that she had had to bring them to her room at the inn she and Deidara were sharing. They had twin beds, as Konan originally decided to pretend that Deidara was her sister, but Kakuzu had turfed Deidara out of his bed and claimed it for himself. Realising that he had no chance at turfing Kakuzu out of the bed, Hidan turned and sweetly asked Konan if they could share.

Konan slapped him.

And so Deidara and Hidan had to sleep on the floor. All night, Konan had to listen to “Stop kicking me, blondie!” and “Stop trying to hug me then, yeah!”

The lack of sleep was making her irritable.

And yet there was no sign of Kisame.

Days had passed since her rendezvous with Itachi and Izumi Uchiha. Konan would have expected to see Kisame by now, or have had some form of contact from him, via her butterflies that she flooded the Uchiha Compound with.

And yet there was none.

Konan refused to believe that Kisame had defected. Kisame was firm in his convictions, in his desire for truth, and commitment to carrying out Akatsuki’s goals. From what she had observed of the Uchiha, their tensions, their differing opinions, she knew it was unlikely that Itachi had changed Kisame’s feelings in any manner, given that the young Uchiha heir seemed to be conflicted of his own place in the world.

“I’ll put one of Blondie’s bombs in your briefcase,” taunted Hidan.

“Like hell I’d even make you a bomb!” scorned Deidara.

“That’s enough,” Konan stated firmly. All three stopped, and silently looked to her. “Remember we are here on a mission.”

Deidara sat cross-legged on the floor, and looked up at her. “But there’s no sign of Kisame no danna.”

Konan narrowed her lips. “I’m aware.”

“They’ve playing mind games with us, I’m sure,” Deidara insisted. “And they know our names now. And some of your abilities. I bet this is a trap. Why did you tell them our names?”

“Sometimes, you have to divulge a little information to gain a little,” answered Konan. “And sometimes, you can take their good faith hostage in return for yours.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning that if they tell their Hokage that there’s Akatsuki members in the Village, then they’ll have to admit they broke curfew and have been hiding an Akatsuki member in their Compound. Someone who is full of intel on a rival village and our organisation, that they have refused to share,” replied Konan.

“She has a point,” added Kakuzu.

“I think we should storm their Compound,” said Hidan. “I would love to sacrifice an Uchiha…just think, if they try to use their Sharingan on me, imagine if it backfired and it worked on them instead? How fucked up and totally awesome would that be?”

“I’d much prefer you didn’t experiment with that,” replied Konan.

“Uchiha eyes are very valuable on the Black Market,” admitted Kakuzu. “Especially ones that have manifested the Sharingan, or even better, a Mangekyo. We could be rich.”

“And we could be potentially selling a deadly weapon that could be used against us,” replied Konan.

The trio turned to Deidara.

“I want to blow their ugly Compound up.”

They turned away from him.

“Such an enthusiastic kid,” chuckled Hidan.

“I’m not a kid, you’re a kid,” retorted Deidara.

“I’m older,” Hidan replied.

“You act younger,” Kakuzu added.

“Oi, who’s side are you on, old man?!” demanded Hidan.

“All of you, quiet,” warned Konan. She was granted a few moments silence as she gathered her thoughts.

“What do you want to do?” asked Kakuzu. Konan didn’t immediately reply, and so Kakuzu went on. “There’s been no sign of Kisame, no communication, and what have your butterflies seen in the Compound?”

“They have carried on their lives as normal,” replied Konan.

“Do you really think they intend to release him?” asked Kakuzu. “Or do you think this Uchiha brat has found a way to manipulate our teammate?”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning he’s somehow gained Kisame’s trust and now holds him captive in a seemingly more gentle imprisonment. I’ve seen it happen before,” replied Kakuzu. “Maybe, he wants to keep hold of him and spill our secrets, as well as the location of our various funds. In which case…we need to retrieve Kisame. _Now_.”

“Yes,” agreed Deidara, rocking back and forth anxiously. “Let’s get him out of there. Let’s get him home.”

“I haven’t had a good kill in days,” Hidan stretched. “And I want our pal out of there. It’s an insult to us that they’ve even managed to capture him.”

“Bastards with their overpowered eyeballs, yeah,” said Deidara.

“Precisely,” said Konan, leaning her head against the window pane. “If we attack them, we need to be prepared for them to put up a good resistance.”

“Ooh,” Hidan sat cross-legged beside Deidara, eagerly listening.

“They have their Sharingans, yes, but there will be four of us.”

“But there will be like…a few hundred of them,” said Deidara.

“But how many of those are actually active or at least trained and experienced shinobi and kunoichi? How many of them are competent shinobi and kunoichi? How many of them have even manifested the Sharingan?” asked Konan.

“Less than that,” admitted Deidara.

“That evens our odds,” replied Konan. “If we’re careful not too be caught in genjutsu, and even if we are, if one of us is able to break the concentration of the person using the technique, then we need to know how to fight them.”

“How?” asked Deidara. “I can just drop bombs on them, yeah. They won’t be able to look into my eyes if I’m up on my bird.”

“But what about us? Unlike you and Angel here, Kakuzu and I can’t fly,” said Hidan.

“You will go flying out the window in a minute if you don’t shut up with the stupid comments,” growled Kakuzu from beneath his mask.

“Don’t look into their eyes,” cautioned Konan. “The majority of them require eye contact to initiate genjutsu. There’s only a few members who do not.”

“And who are they? Should we avoid them?” asked Deidara.

“Not necessarily,” said Konan. “Shisui doesn’t require eye contact. But, he is sickly and unable to withstand battle for very long. Itachi himself can initiate genjutsu from the point of a finger, but he has spent several months recovering from a severe neck wound. He is out of practise. The clan head, Fugaku, however, is experienced, active, and deadly. I wasn’t able to see him training or putting his skills into practise, and so what I know is via reputation. I would advise caution with him. But maybe it won’t come to battle.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning that if we parley with them beforehand and offer some terms of negotiation, we could retrieve Kisame without an open battle.”

“And how likely do you think they’ll agree?” asked Kakuzu.

“The Uchiha all have conflicting opinions,” said Konan. “Some might agree…and others not so much. Let’s be prepared for each scenario.”

“Let’s say it comes to battle,” said Kakuzu. “How do they fight? How do I take their hearts and sell their eyes on the Black Market?”

“You’re not selling their eyes,” warned Konan.

“He will,” Hidan whispered in Deidara’s ear.

“Mikoto is the clan matriarch, and a former jonin. She’s an expert in dispelling genjutsu, self-defence, and her favoured weapon is the shuriken,” explained Konan. “Be prepared for difficulty in landing any attacks on her. Her clanswoman Ayako is also a jonin and someone to be cautious of. She’s still on active duty, although she hasn’t carried out any missions for the Village in several months due to anger at how her son was attacked by Danzo Shimura. She fights with ninja cats.”

“Awww, kitties!” Hidan cooed. Kakuzu stared at him. Hidan blushed, and then gestured to Konan. “As you were.”

“Naori has the Mangekyo Sharingan, but only one, and she is one of the clan elders,” said Konan. “She’ll be cautious engaging us in battle, although she’s very experienced.”

“Who else?” asked Deidara.

“Izumi, the girl we met,” said Konan. “Mikoto’s best pupil. Specialises in taijutsu. Currently a chunin, but a promising jonin in the making. She is a half-Uchiha, yet has managed to manifest the Sharingan.”

“Not a threat,” dismissed Hidan. “We have years of experience on her.”

“She’s older than me,” added Deidara.

“You have more experience in actual conflict,” replied Konan. “Then there’s Hinami and Mizu. Also chunin. Hinami specialises in speed attacks and has been trained by Mikoto. Mizu is being trained by Ayako to use cat summons-”

“Kitties,” cooed Hidan.

“Tekka, Inabi, Yashiro, members of the Uchiha police force,” Konan railed off the next few names. “Yakumi, Fugaku’s personal assistant. Then that leaves Shou, Osamu and Rikuto…Kisame’s captors. Not especially strong, but when they are together working in sync, quite deadly. Nevertheless, I want them dead.”

“You can count on me here,” assured Hidan.

“But I want them to die painfully, and I would like to kill at least one myself,” replied Konan.

“How about, you bring me their blood with your papers, I’ll set up the ritual, and then Kakuzu can barrage me with all his attacks?” suggested Hidan.

“Hey, I want in on this threeway!” protested Deidara, but then reddened when he realised what he’d said.

“Sorry Dei, I thought you might like to save yourself for the puppet bitch,” taunted Hidan.

“Fuck you, I hate that puppet bitch! After he beat me and forced me to come here…” glowered Deidara.

“You seem to be having fun, so what’s the problem?” asked Hidan. “Me and Kuzu have lots of fun, don’t we, old man-”

“Shut up, Hidan,” growled Kakuzu. He turned back to Konan. “The Uchiha. How shall we approach?”

“I think a confrontation with the culprits responsible is necessary, don’t you?” suggested Konan. She settled down on the bed she had claimed as hers, and crossed her legs. "The Uchiha Compound is isolated from the rest of the Village, and they are distrusted by the majority of the villagers. They're in a vulnerable position. Now, let's make a plan."

* * *

Izumi leant her head against the cool pane of the window and stared at the rain beating against the glass. The weather reporter on the radio that morning stated it had come drifting over from Amegakure, the rain village. Izumi remembered what Itachi had signed about the ravine, how it would fill with water, and Kisame could make his escape.

She glanced back up at the storeroom. The door was open, and inside, she could see Kenji and Youta glumly watching out. They had been there for days.

Neither Itachi, Sasuke, Shisui or Izumi herself had been able to retrieve Samehada because of them.

Izumi felt her hand twinge at the memory of being spiked, and knew the only way would be to carry the sword inside the box, but that would draw too much attention. Maybe, they would have to help Kisame get back to the storeroom, fetch the sword, then make his escape.

But first, Kenji and Youta needed to leave. Izumi scowled, hating them both. When she was four, maybe five, and her mother brought her to live at the newly constructed Compound, she remembered how they taunted her for being a half-Uchiha, called her a bastard, an insult that particularly stung with the recent traumatic death of her father…

Izumi never took such words lying down, and instead mixed laxatives into their drinks at the next family gathering so they spent the evening doubled over in the toilet. Some might describe her actions as harsh and unwarranted, but as far as Izumi was concerned, it served them right.

They’d grown up jealous of Shisui and Itachi, as the most talented kids in their generation. Izumi could understand why, having measured her own abilities against Itachi’s too. Everyone of the cousins in their generation compared themselves to him. Even Sasuke, Itachi’s adored little brother, struggled to live up to him.

But then Izumi grew up, and she’d come to understand that while Itachi may be an exceptional kid, a prodigy, he was not perfect. He had his doubts, his insecurities, and flaws – and he wasn’t even a good kisser, Izumi thought wryly. And regardless of who Itachi was and what he did and achieved, that did not make her own skills, her own talents, her own abilities worthless, nor those of anyone else.

That was what Izumi had tried to begin teaching the younger girls of the clan. So they would grow up to value themselves and realise they could be leaders of change, rather than aspire to marry the strongest clansmen they could find and who would have them.

And that led her onto another reason why she hated Kenji.

“…I’d say ninneko are the most tricky summons to work with,” Ayako’s voice floated through the living room, penetrating Izumi’s thoughts. “Simply due to the particular nature of cats.”

“They’re little bastards, Mizu,” added Shisui. “Ow, oka-chan!”

Izumi turned to watch Ayako release Shisui’s ear. Shisui lay back down on the sofa, with a blanket over himself. Today, he’d claimed that he had some joint pain, and wanted to take it easy. Izumi wondered whether Kisame’s regenerative ability was temporary or if Kisame wasn’t yet at his full powers.

“But once you do learn to summon ninneko, they’re excellent allies,” assured Ayako, reaching over to one of the armchairs to pet one of her cats. “It’s so nice to be able to teach a young kunoichi how to work with them…especially when my own son wastes the ability of his Sharingan to play red dot with them instead!”

“It’s fun!” protested Shisui. Mizu giggled, whilst Ayako ruffled Shisui’s hair instead. Shisui lifted a finger to make a point. “I was the youngest person in the clan to wake up the Mangekyo!”

“How did you do that?” asked Mizu.

Shisui was silenced, for a moment, and a serious expression fell over his features. Then his face relaxed, before giving a jovial grin. “I was staying at Itachi’s house and walked in on Mikoto-sama dominating Fuga-”

“Shisui!” scolded Ayako.

“And that’s how Sasuke got-”

“Shisui!” barked Ayako.

“Sorry, oka-chan,” Shisui laid back down on the sofa, but not before grinning at Izumi. Izumi smiled back, but not before watching the dark expression cloud Shisui’s features again.

She turned back to watch out of the window, at Kenji and Youta still glumly watching the rain. Izumi wondered if they could see her in Shisui’s living room, since she could see them.

She wondered if Kenji knew Mizu was here.

“When you first attempt to summon the ninneko, you’ll probably get a small, enthusiastic kitten to start with,” said Ayako. “Then you’ll start getting more mature cats, and then a whole herd of them. To help you to understand your summons, I’d keep regular cats around, simply so you can bond with them, learn how they behave-”

“By meowing for food _every_ five minutes-”

“Shisui!” Ayako scolded again.

Izumi chuckled lightly to herself. She stared ahead, back at the storeroom. Maybe, she could hide the sword inside a barrel of food supplies to bring it to Itachi’s house. But then the issue of how to lift the sword into a barrel arose. Izumi sighed.

“Do you summon your cats for every battle?” asked Mizu.

“Not every battle, I do have other techniques I like to use. And I don’t like to place them in danger all the time, unless its really necessary,” explained Ayako. One of the cats jumped up, and then rubbed itself in a circle around her legs, purring loudly.

Izumi was glad that Mizu was here, learning from Ayako. It would be a shame if all Ayako’s knowledge of ninneko went to waste, rather like Hazuki’s knowledge of midwifery. Izumi felt a pang of guilt, for not following her mother’s footsteps, but knew Hazuki would be even more disappointed if Izumi followed a career path she didn’t want. Izumi knew Hazuki preferred not to use the Sharingan for births, so she could create techniques that could be passed throughout the Village and the world, and could find plenty of willing apprentices throughout the village.

But most importantly, Izumi was glad that Mizu had a focus for her time, and a powerful kunoichi like Ayako to look up to.

Kenji and Mizu used to date. Izumi had no idea what Mizu was thinking, but assumed that at Mizu’s younger age, she was more inexperienced and likely to make mistakes. Izumi originally thought it might be best for Mizu to come to her senses as she grew older, and she had. Then the trouble began, when Kenji would not leave the poor girl alone.

Izumi remembered what she’d done in response.

Snatching a set of kunai, one night Izumi crept through the Compound, silently sneaking into his bedroom, then standing above him with the knife pointed at his throat. There, she stirred him awake, and whispered in his ear what she would do to him if he ever came near Mizu again.

Kenji left Mizu alone from that point.

Izumi sighed deeply.

“When do you think I’ll get to use them in a mission?” asked Mizu.

“As soon as you can summon them, and you find the necessary moment,” replied Ayako.

Izumi turned away from the window, and then sat down on the armchair. Shisui sighed under the blanket, drawing it further over his shoulders. Ayako had summoned the lead cat, and was introducing them to Mizu. Izumi watched as Mizu’s fingers wove through the soft fur of the cat, and then listened to the low purr.

“Is it still raining?” asked Shisui.

“Yes, it is,” replied Izumi.

“It will be full at the ravine,” stated Shisui.

Izumi nodded, knowing that they were thinking along the same lines.

Shisui glanced over at his mother, as she and Mizu concentrated on the summoning technique.

“As soon as this is all over,” Shisui lowered his voice. “I think we all need to make some changes. Those three need to be dealt with. And those two-”

Izumi glanced back at Kenji and Youta.

“Deserve a slap. Each,” finished Shisui.

“They do,” Izumi smiled. She settled back against the armchair. “How would we go about bringing change?”

As a young girl, Izumi had the simple idea that whatever the clan head said, everybody did. Then she’d noticed Mikoto whispering in Fugaku’s ear, and his decisions and instructions changing. For a while, she’d wanted to be the next clan matriarch, so she could hold such influence too.

“Something needs to be done differently,” Shisui decided. “We can’t go on…with the tensions of the village as they are. As soon as…things are sorted here, I want to restart negotiations with the village.”

“Shisui, why are you talking about that again?” asked Ayako.

“It’s important, oka-chan,” replied Shisui. He glanced back over to Izumi. “What would you do?”

“I’d withdraw all of our labour from the village’s shinobi and kunoichi forces,” replied Izumi. “They rely on us to complete their most difficult missions, because of our unique abilities. Without us, they’d realise how important we are.”

“Now you’re thinking like me,” said Ayako.

“Do you miss active duty, Ayako-sama?” asked Mizu.

“Yes, I do,” admitted Ayako. “I miss fighting for the things I believe in…up until a month until Shisui was born, I was still on the battlefield. And then when he was a few years old…Fugaku got kidnapped and so Mikoto had to put together a jonin team and rescue him…Shisui came with me, strapped to my back.”

“My first mission,” Shisui beamed. He settled against the cushions, and his face looked nostalgic. “I miss active duty too.”

“Maybe now you can train up again,” suggested Izumi.

Shisui’s hands fiddled with the threads on the blanket. “Maybe.”

“How would you change the village, Izumi-senpai?” asked Mizu.

“Protests…sit-ins…” Izumi mused. “We could all break curfew by sitting outside the Hokage’s tower and refusing to move. We could find all the cameras and cover them with paint. I wouldn’t resort to violence, its not always needed, but I’d make sure they know we mean business.”

“We could make allies outside the clan and get them to support us,” added Shisui.

“I’d help,” added Ayako. “Change needs to happen sooner rather than later.”

* * *

Shou groaned, as his hand throbbed painfully. Each wave of pain grew more and more powerful with every throb. His breath heaved, as he struggled to keep himself under control.

“You need to get that checked again,” stated Rikuto.

“Hazuki won’t do anything.”

“Then for god’s sake, make her,” growled Osamu. “Otherwise that whole thing is going to need amputating.”

“This rain is pissing me off,” Rikuto growled, thumping a fist against the glass. “We need to be out, looking for the captive.”

“It’s gone by now,” Shou complained. “We’ve been duped.”

Osamu sniffed, and shook his head. “I don’t think so. I think one of those brats knows more than they claim they do.”

“Which?”

“You know which,” Osamu stared at Shisui’s house. Izumi stood in the window, her back to them.

Shou glanced up, and then realised what Osamu was hinting at.

“I think I will go and see Hazuki after all,” he decided, clamouring upright. “Good evening, gentlemen.”

Shou battled through the rain, then across the Compound. He darted past Shisui’s house, feeling the rain sting his hand. Neither of the occupants spotted him, and soon he darted past Fugaku’s house. He sniffed, almost sensing twinges of strange chakra from the house, but figured it was probably the Jinchuriki kid visiting Sasuke.

At Hazuki’s house, Shou hammered on the door. Hazuki did not respond, and so he hammered on the door again.

“What is it now?” demanded Hazuki, leaning out of her bedroom window. Her hair was down, and she was dressed in the loose yukata from earlier. “It’s late evening, why are you bothering me?”

“I need your medical ninjutsu!” demanded Shou.

“Why, do you want me to check your prostate?” Hazuki loudly shouted. The lights of the house next door flickered on.

Shou blushed red.

“I want my hand fixed!” he yelled.

Hazuki disappeared from the window, and then the lights on the bottom floor flicked on. She opened the door, and glared at him. “What is it now?”

“This hand,” Shou shoved it in her face as he barged into her house. “This hand is killing me. I need you to sort it. Properly.”

“I told you to keep it clean,” scolded Hazuki, moving her head away as he waved it in her face.

“I did keep it clean,” seethed Shou, taking another step into her personal space. He glared down at the shorter woman. “I followed all your instructions. Why is it like this?”

“Clearly you didn’t if its like that,” stated Hazuki. She reached up and grabbed Shou’s wrist, dark eyes scanning the way the hand had rotted black, and how the blackness now seeped up the rest of his arm. Shou watched the expression on her face change, as her nostrils flared and her eyes widened and sparkled.

“What is it?” asked Shou.

“I’m examining, be quiet.”

“What is it?” Shou demanded again.

Whatever it was, Hazuki couldn’t hold back any longer. Laughter bubbled up her throat, and then she bared her teeth, tilted back her head and openly laughed.

“What is it?!” Shou yelled.

“I’m laughing because it worked better than I thought,” admitted Hazuki, as her laughter died down.

“Worked better?” blustered Shou. “Worked better? What worked better?”

“The poison, fool!” Hazuki released his arm and shoved it back at him.

Shou’s face fell, and he stared at his hand, then back up at Hazuki. “Poison?”

“The poison. My poison,” said Hazuki, proudly.

“You’ve been poisoning me?” Shou repeated.

“It took you long enough to realise,” scoffed Hazuki, folding her arms. “You see…I lost my mother when I was six years old. She died trying to give birth to my little sister. They both died, but before they died, my father brought me into the room to watch, hoping that my Sharingan would awake. It certainly did, but I still remember the helplessness I felt from watching someone I loved die before my very eyes.”

“No one cares about your sob story,” scorned Shou. “It has nothing to do with this. Why the fuck have you been poisoning me, you bitch?”

“It has everything to do with this,” retorted Hazuki. “I refuse to be a helpless person. I became a midwife, and swore I would never watch another woman die again. I brought Shisui safely into the world, and then when he was poisoned and nearly died before my eyes, I told myself, never again.”

“What has this got to do with…” Shou shook his head.

“For the last few months I’ve been studying poisons since I can’t work as a midwife anymore. Which is because the village doesn’t trust me due of the likes of you stirring up mistrust with your precious clan pride,” mocked Hazuki. “And I’ve learnt to make a few of my own. But you fell for the whole ‘I’m just a midwife’ charade. That’s not strictly true. All those times I cleaned the wound for you, I was smearing poison into your blood stream. You were my first test subject.”

“Take it out!” Shou gritted his teeth. “Take it out now!”

“But I can’t,” said Hazuki. “It’s too late now. The poison is coursing through your bloodstream. Every moment, you get a little closer to death. Who knows which will be your final breath?”

“Take it out now!” screamed Shou.

“Even if I could, I’d rather not,” replied Hazuki. “You see, because of the more militant clansmen like you, we can’t make peace with the village or any kind of lasting reform. And I can’t have my job back. But without you, perhaps I could. And you’re just the start. Osamu and Rikuto are next.”

“You’re a crazy insane bitch!” Shou lunged forwards, clutching Hazuki’s throat with his free hand. She staggered backwards, before being pinned against the stairs. He heard her gurgle with laughter, felt the vibration in her throat beneath his palm, and clenched tightly.

Then her hands flung upright, and scrabbled away at his face and upper arms with her nails. She shrieked, and her feet kicked at him. He felt the smooth strands of her hair knot beneath his fingers as she reared up, trying to fight him off.

Behind Shou, he heard the sound of the door opening and closing, but assumed it was the wind.

“MAMA!” screeched a voice.

Shou felt someone seize the back of his shirt, and yank him away from Hazuki. He felt his body as it slammed against the wall, and then there was a kunai at his throat and Izumi’s Sharingan glaring at him.

Shou struggled against her grip, realising that the small young woman was stronger than she looked. Izumi shoved the kunai closer to his throat, aiming for his arteries.

“How dare you lay a hand upon my mother!” she screeched, jabbing the kunai ever closer. “Who do you think you are, you disgusting excuse of a human being?!”

Behind her, Hazuki wheezed for breath, doubled over upon the stairs as she strained from the effort.

Izumi lowered the kunai, and stared at Shou.

“Get. Out,” she ordered.

Shou staggered away from her, and out the open front door. Immediately Izumi turned to Hazuki, and bent down to tend to her. “Mama…mama…what did he do to you?”

Her hands peeled back Hazuki’s loose hair to look at her throat.

Hazuki shook her head. “I’m fine…Izumi, I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”

“It’s not fine!” insisted Izumi. “He threatened you in your own home! I’ve had enough of this…I’m going to Fugaku-sama and I’m going to get him to do something.”

“Shou knows…about Kisame…” Hazuki wheezed.

Izumi stopped, and chewed her lip. “Then I’ll also warn Itachi.”

Hazuki stared up at her, in a strange reversal of their roles.

Izumi tucked her arm under Hazuki’s shoulders, and guided her upright. “Come on. I’ll take you to Ayako’s. Shisui, Hiromasa, and Mizu are also there. You’ll be safe.”

Hazuki allowed Izumi to lead her out of the house, and then leant down and pressed a kiss to Izumi’s forehead. “Thank you.” 

* * *

“So…I can keep Shiro?” Sasuke’s dark eyes were wide with delight.

Fugaku sighed heavily. “Yes, you can keep Shiro.”

Sasuke whooped, and then clutched the puppy close. The puppy leaned up and licked Sasuke’s chin with a small pink tongue. “I promise to take the best care of him ever, otou-san!”

“You better,” warned Fugaku. “You have to feed him yourself, bath him yourself, and if he dies, you can bury him yourself, do you hear me?”

“Yes, otou-san!” Sasuke buzzed.

“That’s a little harsh, don’t you think?” asked Mikoto.

“I’m not hosting a dog-funeral in my backyard,” grunted Fugaku.

“Not when you just planted all those roses just for me,” teased Mikoto.

Fugaku nodded, remembering the real reason why he planted them, to cover up the burnt patch from where he disposed of the sodden rubble from Itachi’s bathroom. “Sure. That’s why.”

A frantic hammering at the door ensued.

“I’ll get it,” sighed Fugaku, lifting his arm off Mikoto’s shoulders and climbing up off the sofa. Mikoto relaxed back against the cushions, and then pulled Sasuke into her arms, twirling a strand of his spiky hair around her finger.

“Oka-san!” protested Sasuke, but then he cuddled close.

Upstairs, Itachi and Kisame were…doing whatever they were doing. Fugaku decided to leave it at that and try not to imagine anything worse than what he’d seen them doing a few nights earlier. The worst part was when Mikoto forced him to have a ‘man-to-man’ chat with Itachi. Fugaku dreaded to think how the conversation with Sasuke would go.

He opened the door, to find Izumi standing, drenched in rain, her hair clinging to her head like a seal. Her eyes were wide, her Sharingan active, and she clutched her kunai in her fist.

“Izumi? What is it?” asked Fugaku.

“Shou,” spat Izumi. “He threatened my mother.”

Fugaku narrowed his eyes. “He threatened her?”

“I came home from Ayako-san’s, and he had his hand around her throat,” Izumi explained angrily, jabbing a pointed finger at her own throat to demonstrate. “I want him punished.”

Fugaku had had enough. He’d had enough of these pathetic arrogant clansmen getting away with everything. It was time to come down hard, and here was the perfect excuse for some much-needed severity.

“He will be,” assured Fugaku.

He grabbed his shoes, and tied his yukata more firmly around himself.

“Go to your mother, Izumi,” instructed Fugaku. He turned back to the living room, to see Mikoto still lounging on the sofa, her arms around Sasuke, the puppy lying at their feet. “I’m popping out for a moment. There’s been an incident in the Compound. Nothing to worry about. I’ll see you both in a bit.”

Fugaku watched Izumi join her mother at Ayako’s house, before knocking on Tekka’s door, Inabi’s, and then Yashiro’s. With the four of them, Shou, Osamu and Rikuto would be suitably outnumbered. The rain seemed to be dying down, as they headed through the Compound to Rikuto’s house. Fugaku wasn’t worried at all. Tekka, Inabi and Yashiro were his men, they were members of his police force, and they had all served together for many years. He knew they were loyal Uchihas.

Fugaku knocked.

“What is it?” grunted Osamu, as he opened the door.

“Is Shou there?” asked Fugaku, peering behind Osamu.

“I wouldn’t know,” Osamu shrugged.

“Move out the way, Osamu, let’s cut the crap out,” Fugaku sighed. “I know he’s there. Shou!”

Footsteps creaked, as Rikuto and Shou emerged into view. Fugaku wrinkled his nose at the stench of Shou’s infected hand, and noticed that it had blackened rapidly since he’d last saw it.

“Izumi says you were threatening her mother,” stated Fugaku.

“That bitch is poisoning me,” Shou waved his hand at Fugaku.

Fugaku frowned. “Who? Izumi or Hazuki?”

“Both, for all I care! Pair of whores,” spat Shou.

“I won’t have that disgusting word used to describe my clanswomen,” Fugaku scolded. He shook his head. “Shou, this is unacceptable.”

Behind him, Tekka, Inabi and Yashiro stood silently. Fugaku assumed that they were with him, that they had his back.

“All three of you have behaved in an unacceptable manner,” Fugaku went on. “Capturing someone when I did not order you to do so, holding them here on our property when we are being watched by the village, putting us at risk for days, then losing them? I have given you plenty of chances. And now threatening Hazuki? I’m disgusted.”

“You’re not the only one who’s disgusted,” retorted Rikuto. “Look around you, look at what everyone is saying. You let the village officials walk all over you, and for what? The life of your kid who can’t even talk, can’t lead, and who flaps his hands like an idiot now?”

“You’ve gone too far, Rikuto,” warned Fugaku. He turned to face both Shou and Osamu. “I’m escalating this incident. I’ll be handing all three of you over to the Hokage for punishment. You’d do well to come quietly.”

“Oh, will we?” asked Rikuto, taking a step forwards.

“Yes, you will,” replied Fugaku, folding his arms and refusing to be intimidated.

A sudden sharp pain blossomed in Fugaku’s lower back. He yelped, and then twisted his head, to see that Tekka held a kunai, and Fugaku’s own blood shone on it.

Fugaku gulped, then spat a mouthful of blood across the room in Osamu’s face, muffling his vision. He elbowed Yashiro to the face as he reached for his concealed weapons, but then Inabi threw a stab under his arm that took his breath away. Fugaku staggered, trying to regain his composure, trying desperately to find his weapons, activating his Sharingan so that he would be able to predict their movements, but it was too late, his injuries slowed him, Fugaku wasn’t as young as he’d always been, then there was another stab to his hip from Osamu, a stab to his abdomen by Shou, and a stab in shoulder by Rikuto.

Fugaku collapsed onto the floor, shaking as he watched his blood pool around him. Desperately, his thoughts turned to Mikoto, to Sasuke, to Itachi, and if anyone of them would find him. If anyone of them would have the sense to get Hazuki, and if she could save him.

But deep down, Fugaku highly doubted it.

He stared up at the six mutineers.

_My own men betrayed me…_

“We don’t want you to lead us anymore,” stated Yashiro. “It’s our turn now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> omg...I'm sorry guys... ^^
> 
> do you think this is it for Fugaku? Will someone rescue him in time?


	18. Invasion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the Akatsuki demanding the release of their teammate, and Fugaku nowhere in sight, Mikoto takes matters into her own hands...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> can you believe I have 4 chapters left of this fic to post? :O things are hotting up and there's going to be fights.
> 
> Meanwhile, Itachi shows Kisame what happened when he was attacked by Danzo. As mentioned before, fighting scenes, remembering various abilities/battle moves, etc, is one of my weaknesses, so if anyone has any good helpful feedback on how to write fight scenes or places to find comprehensive information on the characters and their abilities that isn't the Naruto Wiki (what I've been using) or has any good information on how a fight might go down between two characters, without having to watch the whole series back to back again, then I would LOVE to know :)
> 
> Also, i know lots of people will probably think "oh how did a housewife kill Danzo," but don't forget, Mikoto was a jonin and i hc her being very powerful in her own right but ruling the Uchiha from the shadows and basically telling Fugaku what to do XD plus never underestimate what a mom will do for her kid, I'd bash the shit out of anyone who hurt my cats lol.

A loud explosion rioted through the Uchiha Compound. Lights flicked on in every household, and soon every member had pulled on their shoes, their coats and jackets, and come out to discover what was the matter.

Flying in the sky above them was a large clay bird, with a blond-haired figure perched on top.

Through the rubble of the destroyed gate, a figure clothed in a black cloud with embroidered red clouds stepped through. She wore a little paper flower tucked into a side bun of her blue hair, that bounced merrily as she walked, although there was nothing happy about her expression. Her face was serious, and determined.

Behind her walked in two men, both wrapped in the same cloak. One was older, with tanned skin, and his face concealed behind his head gear. The other was younger, fair, with silvery hair and magenta eyes, his cloak opened to show his rosary that dangled over his bare chest.

The woman walked steadily in, her poise confident and upright. When she reached the middle of the Compound, she halted to a stop. She tilted back her head, lifting her chin out of the collar of her robe, revealing a piercing beneath her lower lip.

“UCHIHA!” she commanded.

With that, more Uchiha stumbled out into the Compound to see what was going on. Konan held all of their attention firmly, and glanced from each of them to the next. They stared back at her, and yet Konan made certain not to look directly at a single member in the eye.

In a calm, clear and authoritative voice, Konan spoke.

“I have reason to believe that you are holding one of my teammates captive,” she announced. “I am here to demand his immediate release.”

The Uchiha stared back silently, waiting for their leader to emerge and tell them what to do. But there was no sign of Fugaku.

“If my teammate is not released, I will assume he is hidden here, concealed in one of your homes,” Konan carried on. She raised her voice. “And I will search through each and every house if I have to.”

From Ayako’s house, Izumi, Hazuki, Shisui, Ayako, Hiromasa and Mizu emerged. Hazuki held an ice pack to the bruises blossoming on her neck, and shook away the support offered to her by the others who exited the house with her.

“That’s her,” whispered Izumi to Shisui, discreetly gesturing to Konan as she stood in the middle of the Compound. “The woman Itachi and I met at the club the other night.”

“Why is she attacking?” asked Shisui.

“She’s not attacking yet,” corrected Izumi. “I think she might be prepared to negotiate.”

The door to Itachi’s house opened. Izumi and Shisui stared hopefully, expecting Fugaku arriving to negotiate with the unexpected guests, or even better, Itachi and Kisame to resolve the problem themselves.

Mikoto emerged, an arm wrapped firmly around Sasuke’s shoulders. With her head held high, she walked through the crowds of the Uchiha, to the clearing around Konan. She waited until she stood a little more than three metres away from Konan, and then stopped.

The two women regarded each other in a single stare. 

* * *

Earlier that evening, following dinner, Kisame and Itachi laid down on Itachi’s bed, leaving the rest of Itachi’s family downstairs. Both of them knew their time together was coming to an end, and they wanted to make the most of it while they could. They both lay facing one another, memorizing one another’s features, lightly tracing over the contours and plains of their faces, committing the touch to memory. Itachi’s thumb brushed over Kisame’s gills, and he felt them flutter. He felt Kisame’s hand trail across his smooth skin, before delicately caressing his scars.

Kisame moved his hands away, and then signed.

_‘What happened?’_

Itachi sighed, and felt the words bubble up in his chest, before falling away again as he released he couldn’t say them. It was too complicated to sign, too long to write.

But there was another way to communicate.

Itachi tapped his eye, and then signed again.

 _‘I will show you,’_ his hands signed. _‘Do you trust me?’_

Kisame nodded.

Itachi locked his eyes onto Kisame’s, and then touched his face. He concentrated, felt the familiar sting as he activated his Sharingan, and then the Mangekyo he’d gained as Shisui convulsed in pain before him.

He drew Kisame into his mind, into his thoughts, and showed him.

* * *

_Something wasn’t right. Itachi knew that. He had been tense for the past few weeks, knowing that he and Shisui had formulated a plan to sway the vote on the coup tonight. But Shisui wasn’t here yet, when he should have joined Itachi hours ago._

_He stared in the direction of the Naka Shrine where several of the adults had began to descend. He watched Hazuki and Ayako walk down, arm in arm as they talked urgently under their breath. Their clansmen would have dismissed their conversation as ‘girl talk,’ but Itachi knew better. Both women intended to vote against the coup. Itachi was glad of it, but knew they were in a minority._

_In his room, he fetched his weapons, and donning his combat outfit, made his way out into the night._

_He followed his gut and his instincts through the streets of Konoha, pushing past civilians, ignoring shinobi patrolling, until he found a secluded part of the village. He entered cautiously, and soon enough, he found Shisui._

_Cornered._

_By Danzo._

_And Root._

_One empty eye socket bled tears, streaking down Shisui’s cheek as if he had been sobbing._

_His face had turned a ghastly white._

_Itachi flung himself into the circle, his Sharingan active. He seized Shisui in his arms, lifting him over his shoulder, and holding him away from the cause of his misery._

_Itachi stared Danzo in the face, his arms wrapped around Shisui’s waist._

_“It’s too late, Itachi,” crooned Danzo. Itachi stared at him, noticing the way Danzo’s outstretched fist clenched Shisui’s missing eye. He wondered if there was anyway he could retrieve it, if Shisui’s sight could be restored._

_“I’ll tell my father,” warned Itachi. “I’ll tell the Third.”_

_“But who will they believe?” asked Danzo._

_Itachi didn’t respond, but hoped his glare would be enough to tell Danzo what he needed to know._

_“The poison inside Shisui is Sugaru’s, from his insects. Sugaru is of the Aburame clan. His insects have a deadly poison that cannot be removed, that will break down on death, and no one will ever know how or why Shisui here died,” explained Danzo. “No one will believe your words. It’s a pity to sacrifice such a fine shinobi, but a necessary sacrifice.”_

_Itachi held Shisui in his arms that little bit tighter._

_“It’s too late for me. Save yourself,” he heard Shisui whisper in his ear._

_“I’ll take him to a medical nin,” said Itachi._

_“Not even a medical nin can help him now,” said Danzo. “Now, let me have his other eye.”_

_“Never,” Itachi shook his head. He entwined his fingers into Shisui’s shirt, holding him close as he took a step back from Danzo. “I don’t trust you. I’m going to tell everyone. I’ll tell them what you did to us, what you did to me. I’ll tell them-”_

_Danzo’s blade flew through the air. Itachi dropped Shisui out of the path of the blade, and then felt it slice through his neck instead. Blood sprayed forwards, and Itachi choked and gurgled with the shock, barely able to produce coherent sound._

_And then, of all the people in the world to stumble onto the scene, there was his mother. Itachi clutched at his throat, stared at Shisui collapsed on the floor where he'd dropped him, then watched as Mikoto smashed through the ranks of ROOT, cutting them down with a series of flying shuriken. Before he knew it, she brandished a kunai, and had grasped Danzo by his bandaged arm. She wrenched his arm free from the sling he concealed it within, holding it out, and began to puncture each and every stolen Sharingan eye that dotted along the mutated stolen limb._

_Danzo’s eyes widened, and Itachi knew he was trying to put Mikoto under a genjutsu to stop her attack. Mikoto broke through it with ease, reaching for Danzo again, so that all the eyes wept tears of blood down his arm._

_Danzo kicked her away, slamming her against the wall. Mikoto slumped backwards, splayed like a starfish._

_Itachi’s breath hitched._

_But Mikoto picked herself upright within seconds, with a wild, fierce almost feral look in her dark eyes. There were spatters of blood flecked across her skin, her usually smooth hair dishevelled._

_And seemingly from nowhere, she clutched a katana in both of her hands, and she was charging, directly at Danzo, faster than Itachi had ever seen._

_He wanted to shout, to warn her that Danzo could use Izanagi, that he could turn his body into a physical illusion whilst still able to attack her, but found the words died in his throat. Itachi gurgled, and instead watched as Danzo launched a counterattack. But to Itachi’s surprise, Mikoto dodged with ease, her younger body darting around Danzo’s slower and elderly body. She aimed a slice with the katana, which slid through Danzo’s flickering body._

_Mikoto sneered, and darted away as Danzo aimed a retaliatory blow. Itachi knew that the older man’s chakra had to be low by now. Mikoto was wearing him down, tiring him out. The longer Izanagi remained active, the more of the eyes burnt out. Mikoto paraded around him, her own Sharingan active, her katana held out threateningly. She launched attacks at him, some serious, some fake, but all had the purpose of dragging out Danzo’s use of Izanagi, of killing off the stolen Sharingan eyes, of draining him of chakra._

_The blade slide through Danzo’s chest with an ease Itachi had watched Mikoto carve a roasted chicken for dinner. Impaled on Mikoto’s blade, the man never spoke a word more, but stared at her._

_“Never, ever hurt my son,” Mikoto seethed._

_She withdrew the blade, and Itachi watched Danzo stagger._

_And then for good measure Mikoto struck again, this time driving the blade through his lower abdomen. Danzo shuddered, and then sagged to the ground._

_Mikoto tucked her katana away, and kicked Danzo’s body with her sandalled foot, to ensure he really was dead. The man slumped onto his back, and did not move again. She lifted his arm, inspecting all the implanted Sharingan eyes. They had all been stabbed, or otherwise burnt out from Izanagi. Mikoto dropped it disgustedly._

_“Thief,” she spat._

_Itachi whimpered._

_“Mama…” he whispered, the words bubbling on his lips as she finally turned to him. He felt his throat filling with blood, and he choked back the liquid, fighting for breath._

_Around the area that the fight had taken place, Uchiha clan members gathered, drinking in the sight. Itachi was almost ashamed for them to see him like this._

_“Mikoto!” cried Fugaku._

_Itachi slumped to the ground, watching as his mother bent over him. He felt her lift his upper body into her arms, her hair brush across his cheek, smelt her familiar comforting motherly scent. His fingers hooked onto the material of her shirt, like a newborn baby clutching his mother for comfort._

_“It’s all right…mama’s made it safe again…mama’s got you,” he heard her soothe. Her hands covered the neck wound, holding over a folded piece of cloth to stem the bleeding. Itachi relaxed, feeling some of the tension in his body release. Mama was here, he felt safe again._

_And then he felt Fugaku lifting him out of Mikoto’s arms and into his arms. His vision was black and blurry, and his breathing grew ever more ragged._

_“We need to get him to Hazuki, now,” announced Fugaku. To his side, he heard Ayako gasp as she witnessed the state of her son._

_Itachi whined, low and under his breath, wanting nothing more than to reach out to Shisui, who he had come to save. Shisui had no visible wounds apart from the empty eye socket when Itachi last looked at him, and he panicked that no one had noticed the poison yet. That help would not be administered in time. He fidgeted in Fugaku’s arms, fighting against the darkness and the blurriness. Fugaku held his head still, holding the cloth against his throat, and Itachi couldn't see._

_But then Fugaku turned, to head back in the direction of the Compound._ _Itachi managed to spot Ayako as she lifted Shisui to his feet, and wrapped her arm under his shoulders to support him. He watched her place a cloth against the bleeding eye socket, letting him lean heavily against her shoulder. In his mind, Itachi pleaded with her to ask Shisui what had happened, and pleaded with Shisui to tell her what Danzo had done._

_And then there was more blackness and blurriness, as Fugaku ran through the streets of Konoha back to the Compound, to Hazuki’s house, where Sasuke sobbed and clamoured to see Itachi but Fugaku shoved him away and yelled at Izumi to cover his eyes, where the lights blared in Itachi’s face as Hazuki loomed into view, her hands glowing green with chakra, wearing a grim face that Itachi knew was not something you ever wanted a medical nin to see._

* * *

As Tsukuyomi faded away, Itachi breathed heavily, exhausted from the intensity of the use of his Mangekyo.

Kisame stared back at him. _‘Then what?’_ he signed.

Itachi nibbled his lip, and lifted his hands to sign.

 _‘I gave up being a ninja,’_ he confessed. _‘I gave up on my dreams, on my duties, my sense of purpose. It just didn’t make sense anymore. All the values I held dear seemed pointless and worthless. All the sacrifices I made didn’t seem worth it. Even now, I don’t even know who I am anymore. I don’t know who I want to be, what I want to do with my life.’_

He felt Kisame’s hand touch his cheek, and then realised that it felt wet. Itachi realised he was crying, but strangely, he didn’t care that Kisame had seen him like this. He had seen Kisame at his most vulnerable, captured and in pain, and so it seemed only fair that Kisame should also see Itachi vulnerable.

Kisame pointed to himself, then signed _‘love,’_ before pointing to Itachi.

Itachi went to repeat the gesture, but Kisame had leant away, reaching for pen and paper.

 _‘I love you no matter what,’_ the man wrote.

Itachi’s breath hitched.

 _‘I want to stay with you,’_ Kisame wrote.

 _‘Here?’_ asked Itachi.

 _‘Anywhere as long as I am with you,’_ Kisame finished.

Itachi gazed silently back at the man. He couldn’t think of anyone else he would want to say. Kisame’s pen bobbed up and down over the paper again.

_‘Before I met you, I always thought I was depraved and worthless, but you gave me back my humanity when I was being treated like a beast.’_

Kisame paused, and then wrote the final lines.

 _‘I know who I am now.’_  

* * *

“Who are you?” demanded Mikoto.

“I am Konan, Lady Angel, of the Akatsuki,” replied Konan. She stared back down at Mikoto. “Who are you?”

“I am Mikoto Uchiha, wife to Fugaku Uchiha, the head of the Uchiha. Clan matriarch. Mother to Itachi and Sasuke Uchiha,” said Mikoto. “What brings you to my Compound? Why are you bothering my people this evening?”

“Where’s the clan head? Why have we got his bitch and one of his brats?” asked Hidan loudly.

“Silence,” Kakuzu growled.

“I’m not here for the clan head or his wife,” said Konan. “I’m here for my teammate. Do you know where he is?”

“No,” said Mikoto firmly.

Sasuke glanced up at his mother. Her arm remained firmly around his shoulder.

In the huddle of Uchiha clan members, Shisui and Izumi exchanged a glance. They glanced around at the gathered members of the clan, searching for familiar faces.

“You’re Itachi’s mother and the clan matriarch, I would have expected you to have some knowledge of the goings-on in your household and within your clan,” stated Konan.

“I don’t,” said Mikoto. “The captive escaped several days ago. We haven’t seen him since. You’ll have to look for your teammate yourself.”

“We have. We know he is here,” Konan replied firmly.

“I can assure you he is not,” Mikoto repeated. She took several steps towards Konan, tilting her head upright to look Konan directly in the eye. Forced to look away unless she was placed under genjutsu, Konan averted her eyes from Mikoto. Mikoto was shorter than Konan by several inches, but as they stared one another down, they both looked every inch as regal as the other.

“I will not leave until the safe recovery of my teammate,” said Konan.

“You will not recover him from here,” replied Mikoto. “I don’t know where he is. And even if I did, I would not tell you, for the offence of invading my home and terrorizing my clan’s children.”

Both the women ceased staring, and instead turned back to their respective groups.

“What’s going on?” Ayako whispered urgently, as Mikoto returned to her, leading Sasuke along. “I thought the captive was gone…what are we going to do? Where’s Fugaku?”

“He went to deal with an incident, but until Fugaku comes back, I’ll represent our clan,” replied Mikoto.

“He went to deal with Shou,” added Izumi. She glanced around at the gathered clan members again, seeking their faces amongst the masses. “Why aren’t they here now?”

“He could have gone down to the village to escalate this to the Hokage,” said Mikoto, her head turning in the direction of the destroyed gates, looking down the pathway to the centre of the village. The Hokage's tower loomed in the distance, and the faces of the previous Hokage stared down at the village from the rock. “Until then, I will deal with this.”

“Oka-san, why is she threatening us?” asked Sasuke, tugging at Mikoto’s sleeve. “Can’t we just expla-?”

“No, Sasuke,” Mikoto laid her hand across his mouth, then glanced back at her house, at the rooms with all the lights still on. Itachi’s room, however, was dark. “I can’t put your brother at risk.”

On the other side of the group, Konan re-joined the Akatsuki members.

“She knows something,” Kakuzu growled, as they huddled together in a tight ball.

“I have every reason to believe she does,” agreed Konan.

“Please, Konan, let me sacrifice some of these bitches to Jashin-sama,” pleaded Hidan.

“Uchiha eyes are very valuable on the black market, tonight I could make a tidy profit,” added Kakuzu.

“That’ll do,” warned Konan, glancing from each of them to the other. “She’s the clan matriarch and she’s representing the clan right now and taking responsibility for their actions. I’ll treat her as equally guilty.”

“Aww fuck yeah!” Hidan grinned. He waved his scythe in the air. “Bring me their blood, angel!”

Konan turned back towards the clearing, but not before one last glance at Kakuzu and Hidan.

“Both of you can stand back, I’ll handle this,” she warned.

Hidan looked disappointed.

Mikoto strode across the clearing to meet Konan again. From inside her pocket, she pulled out her shuriken.

“I’ll make you a deal, Lady Angel,” she announced. “Instead of attacking my people, and frightening them in their own homes, how about you and I battle this out, one-on-one?”

“On what terms?” asked Konan. Sheaves of paper began to lift from the edge of her robe, and hovered in the air beside her. Mikoto gave them a quick glance, before carrying on.

“If I win, you and your entourage have to leave. Well, your entourage will have to leave,” stated Mikoto. “And if you win, you are free to pursue your teammate through the Compound, but you must expect some resistance from my surviving clansmen.”

“Done,” decided Konan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well...how do you think a Mikoto vs Konan battle will go down?
> 
> Let me know what you think!


	19. Queen vs Queen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To drive the Akatsuki out of the Compound, Mikoto offers to fight Konan one on one. But things grow out of control, and take a turn for the worst...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All right guys...please...don't hate me for this chapter...it needed to happen...I cried writing it D:
> 
> As most of you know, fighting scenes, remembering everyone's powers and jutsus etc, is one of my weaknesses. I'd love some constructive feedback if possible upon how I write battlescenes. :)  
> I particularly wanted to have this fight as Konan never truly got to shine in canon due to Obito's plot armour, and we never even see Mikoto battling anyone at all. I hope what I have managed to write makes sense and is easy to follow. Usually I would ask one of my lovely ladies Kitty&Shadow to proofread but I wanted to keep the results of the battle secret, and so could only share snippets!
> 
> Regarding Mikoto's abilities, we don't know her chakra natures, so I chose some for her, based on the fact that Sasuke has lightning release but Itachi and Fugaku don't. I think its nice he inherited something from his mom. Regarding Chidori, I know its Kakashi's jutsu that he taught to Sasuke, but you'll understand why Mikoto has to use it when you read the battle.
> 
> Also, meet Hinami! Another one of my Uchiha girl OCs. She features in the My Big Gay Ninja Wedding au, which is a lot fluffier and happier, and you may need to read to cheer yourself up with after this chapter! :)

Shisui couldn’t stop himself. He ran into the middle of the clearing, and then tugged at Mikoto’s shoulder.

“What are you doing?” he hissed urgently.

“Getting rid of these intruders,” replied Mikoto, whirling around to face him. She turned back to Konan. “Excuse me for a moment, my clan need me.”

Mikoto pushed Shisui back to the group of Uchiha that gathered around the clearing in a ring.

“You can’t fight her on your own!” insisted Shisui, as Mikoto released him beside his mother. “She’s too strong…she’s an Akatsuki member, and obviously the leader!”

“If I don’t fight her, who will?” asked Mikoto.

“All of us!” replied Shisui, gesturing around at their gathered clan members. They stared back at the scene, dark eyes blinking. “We’ll beat them out…where’s Itachi?”

“Itachi is safe, and that’s what matters,” Mikoto glanced back up at Itachi’s dark window. In the sky, the clay bird swirled in a circle, and the blond figure waved to his group.

“Let’s fight them all together, it’s our best chance,” urged Shisui.

“No, Shisui,” Mikoto shook her head. “This isn’t a battlefield…this is a home. There are children present here. We need to avoid open warfare and a free-for-all to ensure their safety.”

Izumi watched realisation dawn on Shisui’s face, and then he nodded.

“Maybe…maybe we should evacuate them all?” he suggested. “My father can take them down to the village. They will be safe.”

“He’ll do that, the children love their oji-chan,” added Ayako.

“But the curfew,” protested Mizu. “What about that?”

“Screw the damn curfew, this is an emergency,” stated Izumi. “We’re allowed to break curfews for emergencies, are we not?”

“My battle will buy you time,” said Mikoto, resting a hand on Shisui’s cheek. “Tell your father to take them down to the village. And while he’s down there, look for Fugaku.”

“Yes, Mikoto,” nodded Hiromasa. Several of the Uchiha urged their children forwards to join him. Hiromasa picked up one of the toddlers in one arm, who wrapped their arms around his neck tightly, staring fearfully at the intruders with their large wide eyes, and another two clamoured up to sit on each of his shoulders.

“We’ll watch over your battle,” added Ayako. She regarded Konan warily. “Should the worst come to the worst, I’ll be your second.”

“No, if the worst comes to the worst, you’ll need to lead the defence until Fugaku arrives,” explained Mikoto. “You’re the most experienced kunoichi in the clan. You said you missed the field and that you wanted something to fight for again.”

“The worst comes to the worst?” repeated Izumi, staring at Mikoto.

“That’ll do,” said Mikoto. She turned back to Hiromasa, and nodded. “Go.”

The urgency of the situation rose up inside Izumi. Hiromasa turned, carrying away the youngest children and leading away the others. Sasuke refused to budge, and stayed stuck to one spot between the adult members of the clan.

Izumi watched as Mikoto gave another glance back to where Konan waited, her papers whirling in a circle around her.

“Hey, hurry up!” shouted Hidan. “I’m falling asleep here!”

Izumi felt Mikoto’s hand on her cheek. “It will be all right. Remember, I killed Danzo Shimura.”

Izumi’s eyes widened with pride and respect for the woman who had trained her and taught her how to be kunoichi. It was true that she had been taught at the Academy like most ninja children, and that it had been her father who inspired her to choose the life of a ninja. But it was Mikoto who taught her all the advanced techniques she’d need, to be confident, and to fight for what she believed in.

“Sasuke,” said Mikoto. “Give your oka-san a hug.”

Sasuke wrapped his arms around his mother. Mikoto wrapped her arms around his shoulders, and then bent down low to his height.

“Go down to the village, and get Kakashi-sensei,” instructed Mikoto into his ear. “Tell him to get here, and get here fast.”

“But mama-” protested Sasuke.

“Do as your oka-san commands,” said Mikoto firmly, releasing him.

“Yes mama,” nodded Sasuke.

“Go now,” said Mikoto.

Shisui bent down and laid a hand on Sasuke’s shoulder. “And once Kakashi is on his way, go to Naruto’s house and make sure he’s ok.”

“Why have I got to make sure Naruto’s ok?” frowned Sasuke.

“Because…he lives on his own,” said Shisui.

“He’s the jinchuriki and needs protecting,” said Mikoto. “You’re an Uchiha, Sasuke, you’re one of us. Only you can protect Naruto.”

“Right!” nodded Sasuke.

“Go on, be a good boy,” Mikoto pressed a kiss on his forehead, ruffled the spikes of his hair, and gave him a push. Sasuke turned on his heels and ran out of the Compound.

Mikoto gave them all a final glance.

“None of you are to intervene in this fight, no matter what happens,” she commanded, before turning back into the clearing, where Konan waited. Mikoto faced her opponent confidently, and then drew a deep breath.

Mikoto blew, releasing a stream of fire. A circle of fire around the women and the clearing grew, cackling and spitting into the air. Hidan yelped and darted back, whilst Kakuzu smartly took several paces back. Konan and Mikoto circled one another between the flames.

“Death or yield?” asked Konan.

“Death. I’ll never yield,” replied Mikoto.

“I don’t want to kill you, Mikoto-san,” admitted Konan, as her papers unravelled from her legs and attached themselves to her back, forming a pair of magnificent wings. “You seem like a good woman and a caring mother. I’ve heard you are a powerful kunoichi. To kill you would be such a waste.”

“I don’t plan to die today,” scorned Mikoto, as her eyes flashed red. Her sharingan glared at Konan, the red glint gleaming in the light of the fire.

Konan’s wings beat powerfully, and the flames fanned from the gusts of air she created. Konan levitated above the ground, eventually staring down at Mikoto.

“Neither do I,” she replied.

Izumi felt a pang in her chest, as she admired the beauty and the strength in Konan’s jutsu. Of course, as Mikoto’s clanswoman and pupil, she prayed for Mikoto to win, but another part of her didn’t want either of the kunoichi to lay their lives down needlessly. She knew Mikoto had her duties to the clan, and she knew that Konan had her loyalties and concern for Kisame, but for them to fight seemed so pointless and unnecessary when Izumi knew exactly who was responsible for the whole situation.

Izumi glanced up at Itachi’s still dark window. Briefly, she wondered if Itachi and Kisame had escaped and left the Compound, or if Mikoto had instructed them to remain hidden. Izumi shook her head, turning away from the window. She was certain Itachi and Kisame could take care of themselves. She glanced around, looking to see if Fugaku had joined them yet. But if he had, Izumi was sure he would have interrupted the impending fight by now.

There was no sign of Shou, Osamu, or Rikuto, and Izumi could not see any of Fugaku’s usual retinue who he travelled around with.

Perhaps Fugaku was still dealing with them.

Or he had gone down to the village to request the Hokage’s assistance.

But a nasty sensation swirled in the pit of Izumi’s stomach.

Izumi fought through the throngs of Uchiha, before seizing hold of Hinami, one of the girls of the clan that Mikoto trained alongside Izumi.

“Izumi-senpai?” asked Hinami, as Izumi grabbed her shoulders.

“Mikoto-sama needs our help,” urged Izumi. “I don’t want her or Konan-san to die fighting when I know who’s responsible for the capture of their teammate.”

“You do?” frowned Hinami. “Then why-”

“There’s no time, Hina-chan!” Izumi nearly shook Hinami. “You’re the fastest of all the girls Mikoto trained. Run down to the village and go to the Hokage.”

“No way,” Hinami shook her head. “She won’t come here. She’s a Senju. She probably hates us!”

“She doesn’t hate us! She was working with Fugaku-sama to ease tensions!” insisted Izumi. “Go to her, go now, and tell her to come here, right now. Tell her the Akatsuki are here. Tell her they’re attacking us. Tell her that I know who’s responsible for bringing them here and that our clan will personally hand them over to her custody. She will listen, and if she doesn’t, then you keep shouting at her!”

“What if she still doesn’t listen?” asked Hinami.

“Then get your sensei, get my sensei, get all the senseis, Sasuke’s already gone to get Kakashi, go and get all of the other jonins that we know. Get the Hyuga, get the Nara, get the Yamanaka, get the Inuzuka, just get them and make them come here and help us!” insisted Izumi.

Hinami nodded. “Yes, Izumi-senpai.”

Izumi leant her forehead against Hinami’s, noticing that her younger friend had grown taller than her recently. Hinami turned on her heel and then ran through the streets of the Compound towards the blasted entrance. Neither Kakuzu nor Hidan paid her any heed. Their attention focused on Konan and Mikoto’s battle alone.

Izumi fought through the throngs of people again, this time heading back to Shisui’s side. Shisui stood with his mother, leaning against her shoulder for support.

“I’ve sent Hinami down the to the village to get the Hokage,” announced Izumi. “When Tsunade arrives here with the village forces, we’ll subdue the Akatsuki. Then, I will tell them what Osamu, Rikuto and Shou did, and we’ll hand them over to the village to be punished. Kisame can rejoin his group and the Akatsuki can leave, and Itachi…Itachi can decide what he wants to do from that moment onwards.”

Shisui turned to stare at her. For a while he looked stunned by her decisive action, but then he nodded.

“I think someone needs to find them and warn them,” he added. He glanced at Itachi’s darkened window. “Why aren’t they here? Do you think something has happened to them?”

“I don’t know,” admitted Izumi.

“One of us needs to look for them, and warn them,” decided Shisui. Both he and Izumi glanced around at their clan, before sharing another look between themselves. “I’ll go.”

“And I’ll stay and watch over Mikoto-sama,” agreed Izumi.

Shisui released his mother from his hold, and instead Ayako threaded her arm through Izumi’s. On the other side, Mizu held her hand tightly, as they waited with baited breath for the battle to begin.

From inside the sleeves of her blouse, Mikoto unleashed a series of shuriken, that flew through the air towards Konan, their swirling spikes aiming for her.

Konan unravelled into a thousand sheets of paper, the shuriken flying through the mass. Some of her paper folded, turning into a hundred little paper shuriken, that rebounded back at Mikoto. Sensing the movements before they even began, Mikoto dodged the first wave, and when Konan unleashed the second round, Mikoto blew another fireball jutsu, successfully rebounding the paper shuriken back at Konan.

Konan reformed her body from the paper, standing on the opposite side of the clearing to her. They began to strut around the clearing again.

“I was right, you are a splendid kunoichi,” complimented Konan. “It really would be a shame to kill you. I’d much rather not.”

“You have a pretty set of jutsus,” responded Mikoto. “It’s a shame you waste them, leading a terrorist organisation.”

“It’s not a terrorist organisation, it’s a revolutionary organisation,” replied Konan. “History is written by the victors.”

“Then with your death my clan will tell the tales of how I, the clan matriarch, defeated the leader of a terrorist organisation,” retorted Mikoto.

“No, they won’t,” said Konan. “They will tell me where my teammate is!”

Konan lifted a circle of papers above her head, whirling them round into a chakram. She lowered her arms, and then aimed the freshly created weapon at Mikoto.

Mikoto clenched her arms to her chest, and then released them, expelling a gust of energy. Konan’s chakram weapon disintegrated back into individual sets of paper again that floated uselessly in the air.

“Nice,” muttered Ayako, beneath her breath.

“She’ll defeat her,” said Mizu boldly. “Mikoto-sama has the sharingan, she can anticipate all of Konan’s movements!”

“We’ll see,” said Izumi cautiously, her thumb gently stroked the side of Mizu’s hand. Izumi folded her lips over the other, watching Konan. How her body easily disintegrated into paper for each and every attack, reconstructing herself again. Mikoto had not yet landed a single hit on Konan, the majority of her moves had been defensive.

Izumi convinced herself not to worry. Mikoto specialised at fighting on the defensive. The two kunoichi had barely began the battle yet. And if Izumi was lucky, and time was on their side, the battle would not conclude.

“There is still time to back down,” offered Mikoto. “You can’t lay a hit upon me. You can turn around, take those two oafs with you-”

“Oi! Who are you calling an oaf, bitch?” demanded Hidan.

“And the bird boy in the sky, get out of my Compound, and get out of my Village, and I won’t tell the Hokage who you are or what you can do,” finished Mikoto.

“I’m afraid that won’t be possible. I can’t leave without my teammate,” said Konan.

“I have told you, he is not here,” said Mikoto.

“I don’t believe you,” replied Konan. “I know your eyes, I have seen them before…they are lying eyes.”

“Are you scared of my dojutsu?” taunted Mikoto. “Remember, you are in the company of my entire clan. How would your entourage fare against us, I wonder?”

“Dojutsu or not, Kakuzu, Hidan and Deidara are not opponents to take lightly,” warned Konan.

“Yeah, you tell her, angel!” shouted Hidan. “I want to sacrifice all these heathen bitches to Jashin-sama!”

“Silence, Hidan,” commanded Konan. She waved her hand in his direction, and a piece of paper slapped over his mouth, muffling him quiet. Hidan protested, then tried to prise it off, with no success.

“And neither are my clansmembers,” finished Mikoto. With that, Mikoto spat a huge fireball jutsu at Konan. Konan lifted herself off the floor with her angel wings. Mikoto changed the shape of the fireball so that it launched at Konan in one huge long licking flame. Konan retaliated with papers blowing, beating back the flames.

“I didn’t expect that,” muttered Mizu. “I thought fire would burn paper, right?”

“I doubt that this is ordinary paper,” replied Izumi.

“Do you think Mikoto-same stands a chance against it?” asked Mizu.

“I do," replied Ayako. "I trained with her when she was a teenager. I was older than her, so I taught her a few tricks.”

“You trained Mikoto-sama?” asked Mizu.

“In a few things, yes,” said Ayako. “She was a great jonin…I was sorry to see her retire after she grew pregnant with Itachi.”

“My mother said most kunoichi do after giving birth,” said Mizu.

“You don’t have to,” assured Ayako, reaching around Izumi to stroke Mizu’s hair. “I was on missions up until a month before I had Shisui, and then he came with me once he’d been born.”

They turned back, to see that both Konan and Mikoto remained locked in their battle position, with Mikoto still spewing fire, Konan still shooting thousands of paper bullets at Mikoto.

“You should give up, Mikoto-san,” encouraged Konan. “There is only so long you can hold that jutsu. You will run out of chakra. My Paper Drizzle on the other hand…it will continue to attack you as you lose your strength.”

“Wrong,” replied Mikoto. “I am an Uchiha, and I have naturally high chakra levels anyway. You will tire first, and be burnt by my fireball jutsu.”

“You need to use a lot of chakra to sustain that sharingan of yours,” replied Konan. “You are using more than I am…you will tire first.”

“Wrong again. I have trained myself to sustain high levels of chakra and endure long battles,” replied Mikoto.

“Then maybe I will have to try a different tactic,” said Konan. She flew higher, out of range of Mikoto’s fireball jutsu, disintegrating into thousands of sheets of paper again. Mikoto ceased her jutsu, and watched, anticipating, as Konan flew down towards Mikoto in thousands of papers.

Mikoto stared at Konan’s papers, and then immediately startled.

“What’s she doing?” asked Mizu.

Izumi and Ayako both activated their Sharingans.

“She’s mixed explosive tags in the paper!” exclaimed Izumi. She watched desperately as Mikoto stood still, seemingly without moving. “What is she doing?”

As soon as Konan in her paper form and the explosive tags grew nearby, Mikoto clenched her fists in the same movement from earlier, and then released them. The explosive tags rebounded as Konan did, exploding and destroying various plain pieces of paper.

“Angel!” cried Hidan.

Konan reformed on the side of the clearing closest to her companions. Her Akatsuki robe was torn, where it lacked sufficient material from her paper being destroyed. Beneath her robe, Izumi noticed that she wore a long halter-neck tunic with a slit up the midsection, revealing an unusual four-studded stomach piercing. Besides a few bruises, bumps and scratches, Konan was physically unhurt. She panted roughly, her royal blue hair dishevelled and the little paper flower she wore in her hair dangling loose.

“That was good, I’ll give you that,” Konan fought for her breath.

“Angel, let me sacrifice this bitch,” protested Hidan, as the paper holding his mouth shut fell off.

“She said not to intervene. Lady Konan can handle her own,” Kakuzu growled, holding Hidan back from the fiery circle that held the two women.

Over on the other side, the Uchiha cheered for Mikoto.

“She’ll win,” nodded Mizu. “I know she will.”

Mikoto strutted back across the clearing. “Are you tired yet?”

“You destroyed a lot of my paper, that’s true,” said Konan. “But I’m not tired. I have survived worse.”

“As have I,” said Mikoto.

“It seems that you and I will have to settle this at close-range,” decided Konan.

“Bring it on,” replied Mikoto.

Konan lunged through the clearing, aiming at Mikoto. Mikoto lunged in response, aiming for Konan. They caught each other in the middle of the clearing, with Mikoto blocking Konan’s slap and holding her forearm in her grasp. Konan aimed with her second hand, only for Mikoto to block that too, and whirl Konan around, giving her a kick.

Konan staggered, and then launched a fresh attack, aiming for Mikoto’s midsection as Mikoto recovered from her kick. Mikoto tumbled back downwards, rolling out of the way before Konan could launch herself downwards and pin her. She leapt upright, awaiting Konan’s next attack. Both of the women tussled, alternating between attacks and counterattacking.

“I think they’re pretty evenly matched,” said Izumi.

“Do you think this will be a quick victory for either of them?” asked Mizu.

“Who knows?” asked Ayako. “I think Lady Angel here might have a few more tricks than she’s letting on. But with her sharingan, Mikoto can see her movements before they happen…yet Konan can keep up. That makes little sense. Mikoto needs to be careful.”

Mikoto grabbed Konan by the hair and swung her over towards the fire around their clearing. Konan cried out in pain, landing in a heap, her grace and elegance gone.

“Come on Konan!” screamed Hidan. “You can kill her!”

Konan crawled upright, heaving with effort.

“Surrender?” asked Mikoto.

“I asked, death or yield,” replied Konan, wiping a stray line of blood from the corner of her lip. “And you chose death. I intend to stick by that.”

Watching the two women fight in such a brutal manner sent stakes into Izumi’s heart. Konan heaved again, her chest breathing harshly. Although the shorter of the two, Mikoto towered over her defensively, Sharingan glinting in the moonlight.

Konan charged again, aiming for Mikoto’s midsection. Mikoto raised her hands to defend herself, already anticipated what Konan’s movements would be. But at the last second, Konan changed tact, and grasped Mikoto by the arm, flinging her over onto the ground.

The Uchihas gasped, as Hidan whooped.

Mikoto groaned, wearily hauling herself upright.

“What just happened?” asked Mizu.

They watched as Konan charged again, Mikoto raised her hands to defend herself, anticipating her attack, and Konan changed her attack at the last minute, avoiding Mikoto’s defence movements and breaking straight through them. Even Izumi couldn’t anticipate any of Konan’s movements before they happened, and that was meant the advantage of the Sharingan. Maybe, it seemed that even Konan didn’t know what her attack would be until the very moment.

“What’s going on?” asked Mizu again.

“It’s almost like…she knows Mikoto’s fighting style,” Izumi stated, more to herself than anyone else. She frowned, wondering how Konan would know Mikoto’s fighting style when the two women had never met before.

Mikoto hobbled across the clearing, away from Konan.

“You know my moves,” she announced.

“I do,” replied Konan. “What you don’t know about my techniques is that they allow me to be…amazingly stealthy.”

Slowly, it dawned on Izumi.

_The paper in the compound._

All those mornings spent training the younger girls in the Compound with Mikoto, the afternoons where they trained one-on-one, where Mikoto gave her the extra support she needed as a half-Uchiha with lower chakra levels and less chakra control, the advice Mikoto gave her…Konan’s paper had been _watching_.

“So the paper in the Compound that my mother warned of was your doing,” declared Mikoto. “It makes sense now…you must have watched me spar with Izumi and train the younger girls.”

“That’s correct. I know your natures. I know your attacks. And I know your defences. That’s why I can keep up with you despite your use of the sharingan,” replied Konan.

“Then it’s high time I showed you something that you don’t know,” taunted Mikoto.

“What’s she doing?” asked Mizu.

“Oh no, she’s not going to…” frowned Ayako. “It’s too risky!”

“What’s too risky?” asked Mizu.

“It’s not even her jutsu!” Ayako shook her head. She called over the fire, but the roar of the flame snatched her words away. “No, Mikoto! No! It’s too risky!”

“Lightening Style: Chidori!” announced Mikoto. Immediately, she began to run towards where Konan staggered.

“Here she goes,” Mizu squeezed Izumi’s hand. “I didn’t know she knew Chidori.”

“Sasuke has lightning release, but Fugaku and Itachi don’t. He must have inherited it from her,” replied Izumi. “And his sensei taught him to use Chidori. But I didn’t know she could also use it.”

Mikoto charged at Konan, as a high concentration of lightning chakra around her hand formed. She moved so quickly that she turned into a blur of black hair and white limbs. Izumi’s breath hitched as she flew through the air at Konan, preparing the killing blow…

Izumi knew that the Chidori meant the user was weakened as they charged in a direct line, and were only able to see via tunnel vision, which meant that the target could prepare a counterattack. She knew that a Sharingan-user was at an advantage, as the sharingan itself allowed them greater sight and that the ability to predict movements would allow her to avoid a counterattack.

But Konan was no ordinary kunoichi…

Mikoto slammed the Chidori through Konan’s stomach, thrusting upright so that the blow sang through her internal organs.

Konan stood impaled on Chidori for a second.

“Mikoto’s won!” whispered Mizu.

Mikoto’s shoulders unclenched, and she sighed. Her hair was dishevelled, and Izumi knew that she had used a lot of chakra. Her hand had blackened with use from the technique, and it smouldered. Her eyes flickered back to black, as her Sharingan deactivated itself from exhaustion.

But then before any of the Uchiha could celebrate their victory, Konan’s body once again unravelled into paper, growing into a long, sharp spear above Mikoto.

Izumi saw the blow almost before it happened.

Konan pierced through the weakened Mikoto in an imitation of Mikoto’s previous technique. Mikoto had no time to react, and instead her eyes widened in agony as blood bloomed across her blouse.

“Mikoto-sama!” shrieked Izumi. Instantly her energy went to her feet and she felt her body charge forwards towards where Mikoto staggered.

Ayako held her back, her muscled arms gripping Izumi’s waist. “She said no one was to intervene!”

“I thought I had destroyed most of your supply of paper,” whispered Mikoto, tottering, barely able to stand.

“You thought you did,” corrected Konan. “I tricked you by allowing my clothing to burn. But my paper is created from my body. My collection is infinite.”

Mikoto’s breathing increased rapidly, and she held her blackened hand against the hole in her body as she staggered upright.

“I don’t like to play with my food in battle, so I’ll make this as quick and painless for you as possible,” replied Konan. “Where is my teammate?”

“I don’t know,” breathed Mikoto.

“Who captured him?” demanded Konan.

“I’ll never tell you,” Mikoto shook her head.

Konan’s eyes were full of pity.

“I believe you,” she replied. In her hand, she gathered another spear, one that was smaller and sharper than the one she had transformed in.

“Run!” screamed Izumi. “Get out of there! My mother will heal you!”

“She can’t leave!” growled Ayako.

“Fight back!” Izumi continued to scream. “We all need you!”

Izumi watched as Mikoto turned her head to face her, her pain-filled eyes watering as they locked onto Izumi’s. Then she turned back to Konan, her Sharingan reactivating as Konan threw her spear. Mikoto crossed her arms, releasing energy and expelling the spear into sheets of paper again.

“You’re out of chakra from the Chidori, you can’t even sustain your Sharingan anymore,” noted Konan, as Mikoto’s eyes faded back to black. “You’re severely weakened, you can’t use any of your defensive techniques anymore. You could try to run and avoid my attacks, but I’m faster than you, and you’re tired.”

Konan created yet another spear, and then turned to throw it.

“Aww hell yeah, angel!” shrieked Hidan.

Mikoto dispelled the spear again, but with much less effectiveness.

“No!” Izumi howled helplessly, but her words came out as silently as Itachi’s, the pain and agony in her voice rendering her incoherent. What little sound released was born away from the roar of the flames trapping Mikoto and Konan in the clearing. “It’s not her! She did nothing wrong! It was the men! It was our clansmen! Kill them, not her!”

Konan created her final spear, and launched it through the clearing to deliver the killing blow. This time, it punctured Mikoto’s heart, and Mikoto crumpled to the ground as the paper disintegrated. Her blood stained the white sheets red, and she didn’t move again.

Izumi screamed and screamed, and Ayako’s arms grew tighter, clenching her close to her body. There was a horrific burning that began at the back of her eyes, that grew and grew, eventually taking over the whole eyeball. Izumi blinked and blinked, willing it to go away, then felt something wet dripping down her cheeks.

The first thing she saw with her newly awoken Mangekyo was the image of Mikoto lying in the clearing, staring listlessly at the clan she had died to defend with blank eyes, the fire reflecting over her pale skin, and the blood staining the paper red.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry. :'(
> 
> But I wanted Izumi to have the Mangekyo and I need Kisame and Itachi to be angry...really angry...


	20. Inheritance and Alliance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the tragic turn of the battle, Izumi realises that she needs to take decisive action. Meanwhile, Shisui sets out to retrieve Kisame and Itachi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm sorry for the last chapter! I am such a horrible person, I know. But I wanted Izumi to have the mangekyo to be equal to Shisui and Itachi.
> 
> And I am also really sorry...because in the first half of this chapter it gets worse...as we find out what happened to Fugaku...
> 
> On a more positive note, I had so much fun making up Cat Jutsus for Ayako to use on the Akatsuki XD as a cat-mother and a cat-sitter myself, I will always say, never underestimate a cat and what it is capable of XD

“We win! Angel wins!” Hidan shrieked through the Compound.

Konan retreated from the clearing, a grim look on her face.

“Silence!” she ordered, before a piece of paper slapped over his mouth, muffling him quiet. She turned, and gave a sad look back at Mikoto’s crumpled body. “A pity.”

Hidan tried to prise the paper off with his fingers, but to no avail.

Over on the other side of the clearing, Hazuki pushed her way through the crowd, exchanging a glance with Ayako as she tried to restrain her daughter.

“Heal her, mama! Heal her!” Izumi shrieked, growing red in the face.

Hazuki jumped over the fire, then knelt by Mikoto. Her eyes flickered over the two bleeding open wounds on Mikoto’s torso, and her expression turned grim. She laid a hand on Mikoto’s throat, but her pulse was gone. She turned back to her clan.

“Too late,” she shook her head.

Izumi sobbed loudly, finally collapsing onto Ayako. Ayako stroked her hair, murmuring quiet words of comfort, yet even as Izumi looked up, she noticed that Ayako was crying too, tears streaking over the scar that lined Ayako’s cheek. Beside her, tears dripped down Mizu’s cheeks.

Hazuki reached under Mikoto’s body, picking her up into her arms as tenderly as she would have done with a newborn baby.

“I will lay Mikoto-sama to rest with dignity,” she announced, lifting her chin in the air. “You can stay back and permit me this liberty.”

Konan signalled to Hidan and Kakuzu, then nodded to Hazuki. Her eyes had grown dull. Hazuki turned her back, and then carried Mikoto back to the gathered clan.

“Thank heavens Sasuke was not here to see this,” was all she said once she re-joined the gathered group.

“What are we going to do now?” asked Mizu, wiping her cheeks.

“Find Fugaku,” instructed Ayako. She glanced at the limp figure of Mikoto in Hazuki’s arms. “As for Mikoto, we should…”

“I’ll lay her on her bed for now,” decided Hazuki. “Izumi, come with me.”

“She’s dead, she died in battle trying to defend our clan, and all because of our _stupid clansmen_! I hate them all!” sobbed Izumi.

“I hate them too,” said Hazuki. “And they will pay. Come.”

Izumi followed her towards Mikoto and Fugaku’s house. As they neared the porch, they heard a rustle nearby in the trees.

“Who’s there?” demanded Hazuki, clutching Mikoto close.

“It’s me!” replied Sasuke, emerging through the darkness.

“Why are you still here?” asked Hazuki, a sharp edge suddenly added to her voice.

“I came back to get Shiro!” Sasuke darted out from behind the house, and then stopped. His dark eyes widened with horror. “Mama?”

“Sasuke, no! Stay back!” ordered Izumi.

But it was too late. Sasuke’s face fell with horror, and he whispered. “Mama?”

“Sasuke, don’t look,” Izumi ran to the younger boy, and then clutched him closely, burrowing his head into her chest so that he couldn’t see.

“Mama!” he shrieked, trying to push her off.

Izumi was forced to release him, and Sasuke ran to Hazuki, and then bent over Mikoto’s body. He stared at the blood, at the wounds, at Mikoto’s blank expression.

“I’m going to put her to bed,” said Hazuki. “Open the doors for me so I can lay her down.”

Dazed, Sasuke pushed open the front door. The house was exactly as they had left it, a picture of domestic quietness, that it felt surreal. Hazuki carried Mikoto up the stairs, and then straight into Mikoto and Fugaku’s room. Mikoto’s nightdress lay folded beneath her pillow, some of her jewellery lay scattered over her bedside table in front of a picture of a younger Fugaku and Mikoto with their even younger sons, and there was a half-read book tucked down the edge of the bed. The scene looked as though it was merely waiting for Mikoto to return.

Hazuki laid Mikoto down on the bed, gently manoeuvring her body so that her head lay on the pillow, and her arms folded across her chest. She bent down, and closed Mikoto’s eyes.

“Now she could be sleeping,” said Hazuki.

Sasuke’s eyes watered, and he yanked opened Mikoto’s wardrobe, grabbing one of her kimonos and howling into it.

“There, there,” soothed Hazuki. “That’s it. Let it all out.”

Izumi stepped past Sasuke as Hazuki held him and let him sob into her arms, and instead moved aside some of Mikoto’s formal dresses to find what she was looking for.

At the very back of the wardrobe, a katana winked at her.

The blade that killed Danzo Shimura.

Izumi reached for it, and then kissed the tip of the blade.

“I will avenge you, Mikoto-sama,” she whispered, glancing back at Mikoto lying on the bed. Izumi calmed her breathing, and stood upright. Sasuke continued to howl into Hazuki’s arms, and she watched Hazuki gently run her hand through his spiky hair, murmuring softly to him.

She stepped out of Mikoto and Fugaku’s bedroom, glancing quickly at Sasuke’s empty room, before pushing open the door to Itachi’s room.

It was empty.

Izumi frowned, then stopped.

There were several creaks upon the stairs, and voices that grew louder with every step.

She poised, ready to strike.

“Up here, Hazuki is here,” urged Shisui’s voice.

Izumi sighed inwardly of relief, then heard a masculine voice grunt of pain, and then Shisui emerged at the top of the stairs, holding Fugaku.

The clan head looked ghastly. His face was pale, he was covered in stab wounds, and he convulsed with pain.

“Fugaku-sama?” whispered Izumi.

“Hello Izumi,” Fugaku greeted with a grimace. “Nice katana. Mikoto would have wanted you to have it.”

“What happened?” asked Izumi.

“His own men attacked him,” Shisui shook his head. “I came back here, to try and find Kisame and Itachi, but they’d gone. Itachi’s room was empty, but I could see they’d been laying on Itachi’s bed. I tried to track them, and I found Fugaku at Osamu’s house. They attacked him.”

“Who?” whispered Izumi.

“Shou, Osamu and Rikuto,” groaned Fugaku. “I went to confront them with Tekka, Yashiro, and Inabi. I thought they were my men…but they betrayed me. I didn’t even see it coming. They said they didn’t want me to lead anymore…I should have known…”

Shisui carried him into his room, where Hazuki was consoling Sasuke. Fugaku groaned softly when he saw his wife.

“Papa?” Sasuke lifted his head from Hazuki’s front.

“Hello son,” winced Fugaku. He turned to Shisui. “Let me lie with her.”

Shisui laid Fugaku on the bed beside Mikoto, and his hand reached for hers. Izumi watched as his larger fingers curled between Mikoto’s, and felt her heart shatter into a thousand pieces.

“She died defending them,” was all Izumi could think of to say.

“She was very brave,” added Shisui. “She wanted to buy time so we could evacuate the kids.”

“That’s my wife,” said Fugaku, his eyes fluttering open and closed. He forcibly held them open and let his pain-filled gaze flicker over to Hazuki and her bruised neck. “I’m sorry I didn’t manage to punish him for his threats.”

“It’s all right,” assured Hazuki, rubbing at the bruises self-consciously. “I have poisoned him. Regardless of what happens tonight, he will be dead by dawn.”

Fugaku attempted a smile. “Make sure you slip the other five some of that as well.”

“There’s plenty to go round,” nodded Hazuki.

Fugaku’s half-smile broke into a pain-filled grimace. “Sasuke, come here.”

Sasuke released Hazuki, and wandered closer, his eyes roving over Fugaku’s wounds. He leant down, and grabbed Fugaku’s free hand in both of his.

“Papa, you’re hurt,” stated Sasuke.

“I know, son,” said Fugaku. His voice was losing its strength now, dropping to a whisper.

“You need a medical-nin,” said Sasuke. He turned to face Hazuki hopefully, but Fugaku shook his head. Sasuke chewed his lip speechlessly.

“Listen to me, son,” Fugaku whispered, clenching Sasuke’s hand in his. “I love you and your mama and your nii-san so much. But I…I haven’t always been able to show it. I’ve made so many mistakes where I thought I was doing the right thing, trying to make sure you were protected, trying to make sure you and your brother would be strong…I regret so much of it.”

“We love you too, papa! We need you!” insisted Sasuke, gripping the shoulders of Fugaku’s torn yukata.

“I put your brother under so much pressure, I took him to see a battlefield when he was four years old to teach him the reality of life as a shinobi, and for god’s sake, I wish I hadn’t. Now I know how I upset him, how I traumatized him. He’s mute because of me…because of bad decisions I made and impossible situations I forced him to be in…”

“Papa?” asked Sasuke, as Fugaku’s words trailed off.

“Before he couldn’t speak…he still couldn’t talk to me when he needed me…things happened to him and he couldn’t tell me and I couldn’t look after him…I couldn’t protect my boy…” Fugaku groaned regretfully. “Couldn’t protect my boy…”

“What do you mean?” asked Sasuke.

“You look after your nii-san, Sasuke…” Fugaku sighed. “He needs you. Probably more than he’ll admit. Help him…give him what he needs…”

“I don’t understand,” Sasuke shook Fugaku’s shoulders. “Papa?”

“You’re a good boy…Sasuke…” Fugaku’s eyes flickered closed, and he gave one long, final sigh. The worry lines that defined his face suddenly smoothed away, and he went still and silent. His hand still covered Mikoto’s.

“Papa,” whimpered Sasuke. He turned up to face Izumi, Shisui and Hazuki with a pale, frightened face. “What are we going to do now?”

Izumi swallowed. “Itachi is clan head now. We find him, and we follow what he says.”

Outside, a loud explosion blasted through the Compound. The walls of Fugaku and Mikoto’s room lit yellow, then orange, then faded to darkness. There were some screams outside.

Hazuki slammed shut the curtains, and then pulled a blanket over Fugaku and Mikoto’s bodies.

“We find Itachi,” said Shisui. “He needs to be told he’s clan head. Until then, we do not tell anyone apart from Itachi himself that Fugaku is dead, do you hear me?”

“Why not?” asked Sasuke.

“Because there will be challengers,” replied Shisui. “People who will say Itachi is too weak to lead and try to take his place as clan head.”

“Itachi’s not weak,” insisted Sasuke.

“I know that, you know that, but there will be all kinds of people trying to exploit the situation, especially as Fugaku was attacked in a mutinous attack,” replied Shisui.

“I’ll stay here with the bodies. You can tell everyone that I’m treating Fugaku, and that he asked your mother to lead the battle while I heal him,” said Hazuki.

“We’ll do that,” decided Shisui.

“Sasuke, you stay with me,” said Hazuki, reaching for his hand.

“No!” Sasuke protested, shrugging her off. “Itachi’s my brother, I want to find him! And I’m going to get revenge for my parents!”

“Leave that to the adults, Sasuke,” said Hazuki. “You’re a child.”

“I’m not a child! I’m almost a chunin!”

“Actually, oka-san,” admitted Izumi. “I think it would be better if Sasuke came with us.”

“What?” demanded Hazuki.

“He’s Itachi’s heir, and in case something has happened to Itachi, we need to protect him at all costs,” replied Izumi. “Shisui has the Mangekyo, and I have it too now. We can protect him.”

“Blood eyes,” Hazuki sighed, and stroked Mikoto’s dishevelled hair. “You paid a blood price for those…use them well.”

“Come!” insisted Shisui. “I can hear the battle beginning already.”

Izumi held out Mikoto’s katana, and then grabbed Sasuke by the hand. They ran down the stairs, where Shiro sat forlornly on the sofa, his head between his paws. Shisui flung open the door, leading them out into the fray.

Already, they could see the damage that the Akatsuki members had inflicted. Deidara had dropped a bomb on the storeroom and it lay in ruins before them, Konan was flying through the air with her wings activated whilst Ayako blew fireball jutsu through the air at her, Hidan was lying in a circle of blood, impaled on a pike, and Kakuzu was bending over a fallen Uchiha, helping himself to their eyes. Izumi hoped it was someone she disliked. Various Uchiha ran between each opponent, sometimes fighting the Akatsuki, sometimes fighting each other. There was no telling who fought for whom, and for what cause.

“It’s a bloodbath,” Izumi shook her head. “It’s a three-way battle. And all because three men held hostage another?”

“We need to find Itachi and Kisame,” repeated Shisui.

“Did you pick up any trace of them, any at all?” asked Izumi.

“A little, but they were disguising their tracks,” said Shisui.

Izumi whirled around to face Sasuke. “Sasuke. Before you and your mother emerged from your house, did you see Itachi and Kisame at all?”

Sasuke nodded. “Mama went upstairs and told them to sneak out the back. She said she would hold the intruders off while they escaped.”

“Escaped where?” asked Izumi.

“I don’t know,” admitted Sasuke. “But she gave them both a big hug, and then they ran off, and we came out to confront them.”

Izumi chewed her lip. “I see. I wonder if they…”

“If they what?” asked Shisui.

“I see what we need to do now,” said Izumi. She reached up, and laid her hands on Shisui’s shoulders. “Shisui, you find Kisame and Itachi. Tell Itachi that he is the clan head and we need him. Meanwhile, I will stay here, and I will join the battle, and I will protect Sasuke.”

“On your own? Are you sure?” asked Shisui.

Izumi nodded. She turned to Sasuke, and then laid his hands on his shoulders. “We can’t bring your mama and papa back, but we can make sure they did not die in vain. To ensure the safety of the majority of our clan, we are going to find the mutineers, and we are going to kill them.”

Sasuke nodded determinedly.

“Only when they are dead, will they no longer be a threat to Itachi’s leadership,” said Izumi. “Your mother taught me sneaking skills, assassination skills, and how to defend myself. She also taught you a few things, didn’t she?”

Sasuke wiped a few tears away. “Except I said I wanted otou-san and nii-san to train me, not her.”

“Well, that was very considerate of you, Sasuke, because it meant she could train me instead. Otherwise no one would have helped,” said Izumi.

“I guess…I guess that sounds right,” nodded Sasuke.

“Let’s go, Sasuke,” said Izumi. 

* * *

Shisui ran through the thick of the fighting, admiring as his mother battled Konan almost singlehandedly. His clansmembers were left to face the other three, which consisted mainly of trying to capture Deidara as he swooped past on his bird, and attacks that aimed to disarm and disable Kakuzu and Hidan. Of course two of the people attacking the Uchiha with their renowned almost unbeatable dojutsu just had to be immortal.

He passed Osamu’s house, where he had been diverted from his earlier search by Fugaku bleeding to death from his wounds, and was filled with a sense of anger and hatred. He passed the wrecked storeroom, and glanced up in the air, at the circling bird, noticing the blond figure sitting atop.

Shisui ran through the trees, heading out of the main area of the Compound, and into some of the land that the Uchiha possessed. He sniffed, realising that he could smell burning from the Compound even here.

Shisui stopped once he was several hundred yards away from the houses, and looked around. There were some disturbed fallen leaves, sticks, dirt, and he studied the footprints intently. One was large, the other a similar size to Shisui’s own feet.

_Kisame and Itachi._

Shisui ran, following in their footsteps. His joints began to cry with protest, and he felt a splitting pain splice down the centre of his forehead, but he ignored it. As soon as Kisame and Itachi were safely retrieved, and the battle complete, he could rest in a dark room for as long as he wanted.

He darted through trees, around shrubbery, before realising the direction he was heading.

_They are heading to the Naka River._

Shisui increased his speed, praying that the footsteps wouldn’t run out.

And then Shisui collided with a large man, and a man who was Shisui’s size. Both of them gasped, and then stared.

“It’s you two,” sighed Shisui, relieved. “Thank god. I’ve been looking for you both.”

_‘Shisui,’_ sighed Itachi. _‘What are you doing?’_

“There’s a fight, Itachi, a fight,” explained Shisui. All his words were jumbled and out of breath. He heaved, and leant over on his thighs. He glanced back up at Kisame. “Your Akatsuki gang have attacked.”

Kisame looked pained.

“People are dead,” added Shisui. He turned back to Itachi. “What are you even doing?”

Itachi lifted his hands. _‘Oka-san said to escape.’_

“Your mother is dead,” Shisui felt his eyes well up. “She died defending the clan.”

Itachi’s face blanched a horrific shade of white, and then he shook his head. To his side, Kisame keened with distress, and put his face in one hand. Itachi released a wail, distorted by his torn vocal cords, before sinking against Kisame’s chest. Kisame wrapped his arms tightly around Itachi’s shoulders, and rocked him back and forth.

Itachi pulled free. _‘My father?’_

“And your father…” Shisui swallowed. “Your father…he was attacked by his own men.”

Itachi stared at him.

“You’re the clan head now, Itachi,” said Shisui. “We need you to lead us.”

Itachi’s face fell again, and more tears leaked down his cheeks. Kisame laid a large hand on his shoulder, and then pulled him close. His thumbs brushed away Itachi’s tears, then ran through Itachi’s hair. Another animalistic howl escaped Itachi’s throat, mutilated and ragged with pain. Itachi released himself from Kisame’s arms, staring at Shisui pleadingly. _‘Sasuke?’_

“Sasuke is fine,” said Shisui.

Itachi sighed with relief, and then crumpled against Kisame again.

“He needs you,” said Shisui.

Itachi nodded against Kisame’s chest. He released himself again, and then held out his hand to Kisame. Kisame, however, shook his head. He slipped his hand in his pocket, and pulled out the note he had been pointing to so often over the past few days.

_‘I WANT SAMEHADA.’_

“Your friend dropped a bomb on the storeroom,” said Shisui. “I don’t think it-”

Kisame shoved the note in Shisui’s face, making several urgent grunts. He frantically jabbed it with his finger.

“What even is it?” asked Shisui.

Kisame opened his mouth, and then pointed to his stump of a tongue. He pointed at Shisui’s eye, and then began to sign _‘need,’_ over and over again.

Shisui noticed that Itachi’s face had gone thoughtful again.

“You need Samehada to finish healing yourself, right?” asked Shisui softly.

Kisame nodded frantically. _‘Yes,’_ he signed, over and over again.

“You have lots of chakra naturally, and can heal yourself, but Samehada helps you to be even stronger, is that right?” asked Shisui.

Kisame nodded urgently. His grunts grew frantic and excited, and his eyes almost sparkled.

“Then we’ll go back now, and look for Samehada,” said Shisui determinedly. “We’ll call off the fighting and put an end to this. Kisame, you can rejoin your group.”

Both Kisame and Itachi exchanged a sad glance.

“What is it?” asked Shisui.

Itachi lifted his hands. _‘Mama said…we could go.’_

“You could go?” frowned Shisui.

_‘Leave. Leave clan. Leave group,’_ Itachi signed.

“But…but you can’t,” frowned Shisui. “You’re the clan head now!”

Itachi nodded sadly. He looked pained, as if he was in excruciating agony. He stepped forwards, and clasped Shisui’s hands, pulling him closer.

_‘I will take Kisame to safety, say goodbye, then return,’_ he signed discreetly.

“I’ll look for Samehada,” agreed Shisui. “Then we put an end to this.” 

* * *

“Cat Style: A Thousand Sits!” yelled Ayako.

Immediately, her favourite cat bounded towards Kakuzu in a mass of black fur. The cat sunk its claws into Kakuzu’s chest, the impact pressing him down so that he lay on his back on the grass. Suddenly, Kakuzu felt a though he was covered in a heavy weight. He tried to sit up, but the cat crouched on his chest, staring at him and blinking with large baleful eyes.

“Get off me, moggy!” Kakuzu commanded. The cat refused to move. “Get off me!”

Kakuzu struggled to push the cat off his chest with his heavily muscled arms, but it was no good.

“Hahahahaha, Kakuzu-chan got defeated by a pussy!” howled Hidan. His eyes crinkled with laughter.

“It’s not funny!” barked Kakuzu.

“It’s fucking hilarious!” Hidan screamed with laughter.

“You’re next!” warned Ayako. “Cat Style: Winding Leg Menace!”

Hidan jolted into action, and turned to run.

“Don’t leave me here!” roared Kakuzu.

Hidan had barely run more than five paces when another one of Ayako’s cats bounded beneath his feet. Hidan yelped, trying not to tread on the cat, but then the cat rolled underneath his feet. He tried to dart to the left, and then the cat was there. He tried to dart to the right, and then the cat was also there. Eventually, Hidan toppled over, his legs waving in the air like an upturned beetle.

The cat stared at him disdainfully, and then sat on his chest, pinning him to the ground.

The immortal zombie combie lay on the ground, each of them pinned by a cat.

“Now you two can stay there while I take on your blond friend,” growled Ayako.

“Ha! There’s no way you can get Dei on his bird!” retorted Hidan.

Ayako raised her eyebrow. “Oh, really?” 

* * *

Izumi and Sasuke moved through the shadows of the Compound, following the various trails of blood. Izumi repeated to herself under her lips. _Shou, Osamu, Rikuto, Tekka, Inabi, Yashiro_. All had been for the coup. Shou, Osamu and Rikuto had captured Kisame. Tekka, Inabi and Yashiro had wanted to kill him and depose of his body. And now all of them had turned traitor on their clansmen at the first ample opportunity. Fugaku had worried that this would happen, hence his cautious behaviour in the weeks leading up to the arrival of Kisame. Mikoto had told her these things, during the long hours they spent pouring over shuriken, senbon, kimonos and scrolls.

She held Mikoto’s katana upright, but close to her body.

Sasuke covered her back, holding out a kunai. As she moved through the Compound, almost noiselessly, like Mikoto had taught her, she listened to the cries of the main fighting. Ayako’s cats raced through the houses under everyone’s feet, and soon Hidan’s maniacal laughter fell silent. When she looked up, Konan still remained in the air, but Izumi realised that more and more of Konan’s attacks were on the defensive now.

She spotted Kenji as he himself zoned in on Mizu, who was anxiously carrying an injured ninneko cat away from the battlefield, back to the safety of Ayako’s house. Mizu was still relatively young and inexperienced in battle, and Izumi knew that she stood little chance against Kenji with her current level of skills and experience. She wasn’t even bothering to watch her back, instead focusing on the cat as it mewed with distress.

Immediate fury shot through Izumi as she guessed Kenji’s nefarious intentions, that he would turn on his ex girlfriend like this. She increased the speed at which she ran, with Sasuke following behind her, and then before Kenji could even think of laying a hand on Mizu, Izumi thrust Mikoto’s katana through his back.

“I said, don’t bother Mizu again, or I will kill you,” Izumi snarled into his ear. Kenji gasped, and then he was gone. Izumi pulled her blade free, and let him fall to the floor.

“Izumi?” Mizu whirled around, clutching the cat.

“There’s a mutiny going on too,” explained Izumi, wiping the blade of the katana on Kenji’s clothes. “Clansmen trying to take advantage of the situation by killing clan members and blaming it on the Akatsuki. I’m taking them down for what they did to Fugaku and Mikoto.”

“But Mikoto was killed by Konan,” frowned Mizu.

“Yes, I know. But did they really want to fight each other? _No_. Mikoto only fought because of her duties to protect the clan. These assholes didn’t deserve her protection,” Izumi kicked Kenji’s body with her sandalled foot.

“How many do you think there are?” asked Mizu.

“A few,” admitted Izumi. “And I’m going to kill them all.” 

* * *

“Cat Style: Bring Me a Present!” commanded Ayako, as Deidara’s bird swooped low above her head. Immediately three cats leapt up into the air, grabbing the tail end of the bird. Deidara yelped, wobbling dangerously as the cats clung to his bird. His steering veered dangerously to the left, but the cats did not let up, continuing to claw and pull him down.

Deidara landed with an abrupt halt on the turf. He tumbled head first off the bird, only for the cats to launch themselves on top of him. He struggled, but found that he couldn’t move. Three sets of eyes as large and round as his own gazed back at him.

“Caught you,” stated Ayako. 

* * *

Nearing the end of their first round through the Compound, Izumi led Sasuke past the wall, and then stopped, as they heard voices.

“Where were you going?” demanded a male voice.

“To fetch the Hokage and the jonin, like Izumi-senpai told me too!”

“You’ll do no such thing!” scorned the male voice. “Since when did stupid little girls make decisions about our clan?”

Izumi held her finger to her lips to Sasuke, sheathed the katana, and then scaled the wall noiselessly, peering down. Hinami’s head was tilted to the side, whilst Tekka held up a blade to her throat. Hinami’s posture was straight, and determined, yet Izumi knew that she had to be shaking with fear.

“Since the stupid men made terrible ones in the first place,” retorted Hinami.

“You won’t bring the Hokage here,” threatened Tekka, pushing the blade further to her throat. “We don’t want that drunken Senju bitch telling us what to do.”

Izumi leapt headfirst off the wall, landing on Tekka’s shoulders and crushing him to the ground. He yelled with pain, but Izumi’s kunai from her pocket soon punctured his throat. She wrenched it back and forth, as blood spurted in a wall across the grass. Hinami gasped behind her, and only when Tekka stopped flailing, did Izumi cease her movements.

“You killed him?” gaped Hinami.

“Of course,” Izumi shook her hair, and felt little flecks of blood settle around her. “He was threatening you.”

“They caught me heading down to the Village. I didn’t manage to get to the Hokage. Is Mikoto-sama…?” Hinami trailed off.

Izumi shook her head.

“This is my fault,” whispered Hinami.

“No, it’s not,” urged Izumi. She gestured to Tekka’s bleeding corpse. “It’s people like him. Come. Let’s get back in the Compound. I still have more men to kill.” 

* * *

“Your men are down,” announced Ayako. “Defeated by my cats, nonetheless. I know you’re tired after fighting Mikoto. She didn’t let you win easily. Do you yield?”

“I want to know where my teammate is,” insisted Konan stubbornly. Sharpened paper whirled around her in a protective sphere, so that Ayako only saw glimpses of her body as it moved.

“I see you don’t want to co-operate,” stated Ayako, as several cats lined up behind her, swooshing their tails as they gazed at Konan with large round eyes. “This is your last warning. Cat Style: If I Fits, I Sits!”

The cats leapt through the air, easily slipping through the gaps in the protective sphere of paper. Konan shrieked, and then disintegrated into more paper. But the cats immediately began to chase the swirling papers eagerly, pouncing on each piece with an agile effort. There was no way Konan could launch an attack with the cats tearing after her paper. She was forced to reform her body whilst pinned against a wall, facing Ayako. 

* * *

“There’s another lesson your mother taught me,” stated Izumi, as she and Sasuke made their second round through the Compound, weapons drawn and their Sharingans active, looking for their clansmen. “She told me some wars aren’t won on the battleground. Do you know what that means?”

“Treaties?” suggested Sasuke.

“That’s right. Alliances. Plots. Intrigue,” added Izumi. “I think what went wrong on the battleground earlier is that the Akatsuki didn’t know we’ve been helping Kisame. I don’t think they realise that we have a few things in common, that our real enemies are our traitor clansmen. If they did, do you think they’d help us?”

“I don’t know,” admitted Sasuke.

“Well, I think its worth a try to find out, don’t you?” suggested Izumi.

Their round brought them back into the centre of the Compound, where Kakuzu, Hidan and Deidara lay pinned by the cats. Konan herself remained standing, but Ayako had her pinned against a corner.

Izumi walked boldly past the pinned Akatsuki members, and towards her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all again very kindly for reading this chapter! I hope you're ready for the last one, and for the epilogue.... :O


	21. Into The Water

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Itachi takes Kisame to escape, but their plans for a secret goodbye are interrupted by his clansmen...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> omg guys this is the last chapter! I only have the epilogue to go now! :O can you believe that?!
> 
> The best thing about this chapter is that Shou, Osamu and Rikuto finally get what they deserve :D :D :D
> 
> Also, please remember, I have CHANGED Kisame's abilities from canon to fit with this au and this story better. So Samehada also works a little differently here too. I hope it makes sense. :)

Itachi let Kisame lean on him for the rest of the walk to the Naka River. When they reached the edge of the ravine, Itachi glanced down, and noticed that it had swollen and increased in size from the rains. It would be a simple jump, and then Kisame could escape.

He turned back to Kisame, realising these were the last few minutes they would have together before Shisui returned with Samehada. He gazed at Kisame’s face, his gills, his olive eyes, his blunt jaw and spiky navy hair. He inhaled his fresh sea salty smell, committing everything about the shark man to memory. Itachi was certain he would never love anyone as strongly as he loved Kisame.

He lifted his hand, outstretched the palm, and then closed his thumb towards his fingers.

 _‘Goodbye,’_ he signed. _‘Goodbye.’_

Kisame stared at him, confused.

He lifted his own hands and then signed back at Itachi. One hand pointed to himself, then the other to Itachi, and then he clasped his hands together with the thumbs outstretched.

_‘You. Me. Together.’_

Itachi shook his head.

 _‘No. Not together,’_ he signed, frantically releasing his clasped hands with outstretched thumbs away from each other. _‘I am clan head now.’_

Kisame gave him a knowingly look, one that seemed to ask if that was really what Itachi wanted.

Itachi found that he couldn’t answer. He pursed his lips as he glanced away, then wondered if Shisui would be much longer, if he ought to rush back to defend his clan and leave Kisame now.

Itachi turned his head back up to face Kisame, then realised that after everything they had been through, after everything they had shared with one another, he simply could not leave him. His heart hammered, as he thought of his clan still locked in battle. Their shouts and battle cries echoed above the trees.

They needed him.

There was a loud scrabbling. Itachi’s breath hitched, and then he turned back to face the woods. Through the gaps in the trees, three figures emerged.

“There!” spat Shou, pointing with his blackened stump of a hand.

Itachi grabbed Kisame in his arms, and pulled him away. He felt Kisame push his hands away, and try to approach the men. Itachi frantically tugged at Kisame’s shoulder, remembering how they’d managed to capture him in the first place.

“We knew it was you,” scolded Rikuto, looking at Itachi. “You, Shisui, that little bitch-”

Itachi wanted to scream at him, that Izumi was not a little bitch, wanted to scream and pummel his uncles with his fists for what they had done to Kisame, the injuries that he had had to spend so long recovering from. But he held himself back, preparing himself and saving his strength for possible battle.

“We knew you hid him, we just needed evidence,” said Rikuto. “And it’s right here now. We followed you out of the Compound whilst the rest of the clan dealt with those Akatsuki freaks. And it’s worked out in our favour. We finished off your father, and the paper bitch finished off your mother while we sat and watched. I even had some popcorn in the cupboard.”

 _‘FUCK OFF,’_ Itachi spelt out in sign.

“I don’t know what that means, and I don’t really care either,” admitted Rikuto. “You’re finished, Itachi. You were a smart kid but a useless adult. Your father’s dead, so there’s going to need to be a new clan head, and no one wants you. Your brother’s a kid, so it’s going to be one of us. Not you.”

Itachi began to sign Izumi’s name, then Shisui’s, then Sasuke’s, but his clansmen ignored him.

“Now, be a good boy, and hand the shark creature over,” said Rikuto.

Itachi stepped smartly in front of Kisame, holding his arms out protectively. He whirled his Sharingan active, and dared them to make a single move.

“There’s three of us, Itachi,” said Osamu. “We’re armed, you’re not. Not good odds for you right now, is there?”

And with that, the three men pulled out their weapons, advancing towards both Kisame and Itachi.

Itachi drew a deep breath, and grew ready to fight. Lurid waves of panic suddenly rocked through him, as he remembered the feel of Danzo’s blade sliding through his neck, the sight of Shisui on the floor in front of him. He couldn’t let that happen to Kisame. He rooted his feet to the floor firmly, grounding himself. He would protect Kisame now, even if it killed him.

“HEY!” roared a familiar voice. “KISAME! I’VE GOT SOMETHING FOR YOU!”

Itachi glanced up to see Shisui emerging from the woods. His hands were bloody and shredded, but clutched in his palms was the unusual sword that Izumi had attempted to pick up. Itachi realised that Shisui had likely savaged through the rubble of the storeroom, forcibly grabbed the sword and carried it through the trees to be here.

Kisame’s eyes lit up delightedly, and he outstretched his hand. Shisui swung the sword into the air, freeing it from his hands, towards Kisame. Kisame grasped the sword singlehandedly, and a mouth burst at the tip, purring and lapping Kisame’s face eagerly with their tongue. Kisame chuckled fondly at the back of his throat, but only for a brief moment.

Kisame charged towards the three men, with the sword outstretched. They both startled, and darted back. With his injured, painful hand, Shou wasn’t fast enough, and Kisame effortlessly smacked Shou around the head with Samehada. There was a sickening crack, Shou crumpled to the ground, and Itachi almost felt a sense of glee and pride, watching his vile uncle collapse. Osamu and Rikuto swallowed, and then gasped, as they felt their chakra drain from them by the sword. The sword began to swell in size, the scales lifting up as it grew. Both Osamu and Rikuto took several more rapid steps backwards, as Kisame rounded on them angrily. There was a sadistic grin on Kisame’s lips, revealing his sharp teeth, his nostrils flared as he sensed the blood that was about to spill, and his eyes were bright with delight.

There was another rustle, and Izumi and Sasuke stumbled onto the scene. Izumi clutched his mother’s katana, and Itachi was glad, knowing that Mikoto would have wanted her to have it. Sasuke held a kunai, and they were both streaked with blood.

“There they are!” pointed Sasuke.

Izumi held out the katana warningly to Osamu and Rikuto, telling them that they were cornered.

“You will pay for what you’ve done,” threatened Izumi. “You’ve destroyed our clan…our _family_. I will kill you, and I am not joking.”

“Nii-san,” cried Sasuke. Itachi watched as his brother left Izumi’s side and run across the clearing before the ravine towards him. Itachi held out his arms, to embrace his brother.

Out of range of Kisame, who loitered near to protect the unarmed Itachi, Osamu and Rikuto advanced towards his younger brother, and Itachi knew why. Sasuke was his heir, and without an heir, his position as clan head would be even weaker.

Even as both Izumi and Kisame rounded on his uncles, Itachi activated his Mangekyo, deciding to go straight for Tsukuyomi. Osamu and Rikuto deserved it. He outstretched his finger towards them both, immediately trapping them inside. For what they’d done to Kisame, for what they’d caused to happen to the clan, to his parents, he decided to go theatrical.

He created a thousand copies of himself, standing in a ring around Osamu and Rikuto as they were pinned to either side of a crucifix. Each copy held a katana, and the swarm of a thousand Itachis advanced towards his uncles, beginning the seemingly days of torture by stabbing them repeatedly. In his mind, Itachi took pleasure with each puncture into their revolting bodies.

Itachi felt blood trickle down his cheek from his lower lash line, and knew he was destroying his eyesight for this. But he didn’t care. It was worth it. It was worth every single second.

And then Itachi felt a punch to his stomach, and the genjutsu broke. When he looked down, a kunai stuck out of stomach. He glanced up, to see Shou, still slumped on the ground, dazed yet awake, looking very pleased with himself. Itachi had forgotten about him, from when Kisame had knocked him out.

But then Shou stared at the hand he had used to throw the kunai with, and watched as it suddenly disintegrated into black sludge, melting down his arm. He moaned, and slumped over in pain. Blackened veins beat up his exposed arm, closer and closer to his heart.

Itachi had little time to take all this in, as his breath caught in his throat, and he reached down, wrenching the kunai free. Itachi held out the kunai, looking at how deep the blood covered it.

“NO!” screamed Sasuke. “NO! NOT NII-SAN! NOT MY NII-SAN TOO!”

Izumi grabbed Sasuke in her arms, holding him back with all her might. Itachi watched, realising that everything had slowed down, and was growing distant. He felt the blood throbbing from his belly, then slumped to his knees.

“No, Sasuke, no, they’re after you too!” Izumi shouted in his brother’s ear. “We need you!”

“LET ME GO TO HIM!” Sasuke screeched.

“No, no! He needs you safe! I have to protect you!” Izumi insisted. “Shisui!”

Shisui stumbled a few steps forward to protect them, and then his knee locked beneath him.

“Fucks’ sake!” he yelled, tumbling over himself, clutching at his joints and writhing with pain.

Izumi’s eyes blasted red, and it didn’t look like her usual Sharingan. Itachi realised that she had developed a Mangekyo that night. _For my mother_ , he realised. She pushed Sasuke behind her and stared Osamu, Rikuto and Shou down, but Itachi doubted that Izumi knew any of her powers yet, or how to wield a Mangekyo. All she could do was place her body between the attackers and Sasuke’s, and hope that the mere sight of her Mangekyo was threatening enough to hold them back. The boldness in her sheer confidence of her new ability impressed Itachi, and he wished he could ask her about it, but there was no time…

Beside Itachi, something had changed. Kisame’s appearance had turned more sharklike than ever before, with a dorsal fin on his head, clawed webbed hands, a tail, and the sword was gone. As Itachi’s eyes searched for it, he realised that Kisame had fused completely with the blade. Kisame’s shoulders flexed, and he stood up taller.

The blue light he had noticed on Kisame’s skin when he regrew Shisui’s eye lit up over his entire body, and every single lingering injury on the man soon melded away.

Kisame opened his mouth, and with a cry, a new tongue emerged. Kisame lapped it from side to side, testing it, before taking a deep breath.

“That was quite a battering you gave me,” he stated, looking down on Shou, Osamu and Rikuto.

Itachi took a sharp intake of breath, realising that he was hearing Kisame’s voice for the first time. It was quite thin and raspy, and made Itachi think of the ocean lapping against a stony shore. He decided that he liked it already. He was glad he had the chance to hear it.

“I’ve never been so weakened before. But I have to laugh at how you had to steal forbidden jutsus from more powerful and renowned shinobi, lure Deidara away, and have three of you fighting against me at once. Otherwise in a fair fight, you’d be dead,” stated Kisame. He glared at them disdainfully. “You are pathetic, cowardly, weak men. You disgust me.”

“I’m…I’m sorry!” whimpered Osamu. “We just need your powers…for our eyes-”

“I don’t care about your pathetic eyes. You don’t deserve them.”

Osamu never had the chance to respond, as Kisame shredded through his throat in one swift movement. Osamu gulped, spraying blood a metre in front of him, then collapsed.

Rikuto was next, and then finally Shou, as he lay cradling his hand. Blackened blood leaked from Shou, the remnants of Hazuki’s poison.

Kisame kicked their bodies, to make sure they were definitely dead, before turning back to Izumi, Sasuke and Shisui. Izumi ran her hand through Sasuke’s spikes of hair comfortingly, still holding him back from running to Itachi.

“You’re nice kids,” said Kisame. He picked up Shisui’s hands in his, and then ran his fingers over them. Shisui sighed, feeling them heal over. He then placed his hand over Shisui’s forehead again, and Shisui’s expression turned calm and blissful. “The antidote that your mother used to heal Shisui…was Sasori’s, my former teammate. It was based on some of my regenerative properties. It was able to stop Sugaru’s insects’ poison from causing any further damage to your body. But, nowhere near as powerful as my own ability. You’ll be fine from now on. No more joint pain. No more migraines.”

Shisui rubbed his head, and with Kisame’s help, climbed to his feet. Shisui reached up, and then tugged off the eye patch, revealing his newly grown eye. Itachi heard Izumi and Sasuke give an intake of breath, knowing that they hadn’t seen it yet.

He watched as Izumi helped Sasuke up, and he was glad, glad that they were ok, even if he wasn’t. One of his hands covered the wound on his stomach, and he lightly rubbed the skin around, trying to ease the pain. He glanced up, to realise that the entirety of the remnants of the Uchiha clan had emerged through the trees, recognised Ayako leading them, noticed that Tekka, Inabi, Yashiro and Kenji were not among them, and then spotted Konan, Kakuzu, Hidan, and even Deidara with singed hair. A herd of cats paced in a circle around them.

“Go on, go to nii-san,” instructed Izumi.

Sasuke practically crawled across to Itachi, before wrapping his arms around Itachi’s shoulders. He held onto his brother and howled.

“Mama…papa…they’re gone,” he snivelled in Itachi’s ear, and Itachi weakly lifted a hand, that gently poked at Sasuke’s forehead, then stroked some of the spiky hair that fell over his forehead. Their shared grief mingled between them. Sasuke sat back, and a calmness overcame his expression. He set his shoulders back determinedly, and then leant back down to whisper in Itachi’s ear softly.

“Papa told me to help you, to give you what you need,” Sasuke whispered. “So if you need to go, then go. I will love you always.”

Itachi reached for Sasuke’s hand, and then traced an I, then an L, then a Y. _ILY_ , for _I love you_. Sasuke’s breathing grew very calm again, and he laid his hand beneath Itachi’s head, settling him back down on the ground. Itachi laid his hands over his stomach, covering his wound again. He remembered the last time he’d nearly died, how he’d felt feeling his life ebb away, and was glad that this time, he would die from saving Kisame, and that this time he could say goodbye to Sasuke.

Shisui and Izumi would look after him.

Finally content and at peace, Itachi closed his eyes. 

* * *

“Kisame,” called Konan. She outstretched her hand towards her teammate. “It’s all right. Your captors…the mutineers…They’re all dead now. You're safe now. Time to come home.”

“Yeah, come with us buddy!” shouted Hidan. “I sacrificed loads of fuckers…they’re going to regret ever laying their hands on you, pal!”

“And I’ve got loads of eyes to sell on the black market! We’re rich!” announced Kakuzu.

Kisame stared at his teammates, at the bloodstains across their robes.

“Come back, Kisame no danna,” insisted Deidara. “We’re your family…not these assholes.”

Konan outstretched her hand further, and nodded firmly.

Kisame clamoured free of Samehada, and strapped the sword to his back. He knelt over Itachi, stroked his damp black hair off his face, then scooped the younger man up into his arms. Sasuke leant over, and pecked his lips against Itachi’s forehead. Kisame reached over and ruffled Sasuke’s spiky hair, before Sasuke took a step back.

“Kisame,” called Konan.

Kisame turned for one last look at her. He simply shook his head.

“Kisame?” asked Konan.

Kisame merely glared at her. “Mikoto was a good woman. I’m done here.”

Still clutching Itachi in his arms, Kisame took several steps towards the edge of the ravine.

“What is he doing?” demanded Shisui. “ITACHI!”

Kisame leapt off the edge of the ravine in one swift movement.

“NO!” screamed Shisui. 

* * *

The next thing Itachi knew, he was surrounded by the fluid motion of water. It drenched through his clothes, and caressed his skin, like Kisame’s loving hands. One of his sandals had slipped off his foot and drifted away down to the flowing weeds at the bottom of the water, but he found he didn’t mind. There was blood blossoming in the water from his wound, twisting and making beautiful elaborate patterns.

Red on blue.

Itachi was sleepy, barely coherent, and allowed the water to move his body as it pleased. Around him, there was a flicker of movement, as Kisame swam in a circle. Within the water he was in his element, and his movements were graceful and elegant. He finally floated in front of Itachi, and placed his hands on Itachi’s neck, over his scars. Fluorescent blue lights tingled over his fingers, his hands, and arms, and then he leant forwards, and pressed his lips to Itachi’s.

Itachi felt the wound on his stomach knit tidily, and the pain lessened, before fading away entirely. The red blood simply dissolved away into the water, as if it had never been. A tingling sensation began on Itachi’s neck where his scars were, a sensation that was one of healing and opening. Kisame moved his hands away, and then Itachi gasped, jolting back into consciousness completely.

Several bubbles of water bloomed from his neck, gurgling towards the surface. Itachi opened his eyes completely to see Kisame clutching his waist as they floated beneath the water. He breathed again, feeling his new gills fluttering like Kisame’s.

He lifted his hand, and touched them lightly.

Itachi couldn’t help but smile at his new gift.

No longer was he an Uchiha heir, a shinobi of the fire country, but some strange water creature. Itachi found he didn’t mind so much.

Now he could be what he wanted.

Itachi leant forwards and kissed Kisame back on the lips, before pulling him closer, and they embraced within the water.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ^^ that last scene was literally the scene I have been writing towards this entire story <3
> 
> what do you think? Do you think Itachi and Kisame made the right decision?


	22. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Itachi missing, the Uchiha must recollect themselves and make some decisions about the future of their clan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is it guys, the epilogue! I really hope you have enjoyed reading this story as much as I have enjoyed writing it. It was very challenging in some ways to cross the two stories over, get the right balance, etc, in many unexpected ways, but also very fun.
> 
> I would like to say a huge thank you to Shadow for encouraging me to write this story with her beautiful crossover artwork piece, which inspired me.
> 
> I would also like to thank everyone who has commented, I read every single comment and try to reply to them at least once. They mean so much to me, and they really do encourage me to keep writing and challenge myself!
> 
> I hope I have managed to tie up all the loose strings in this epilogue, and I hope you all enjoy it, and like who the next leader of the Uchiha will be...

_So if I told you about them, what would I say? That they lived happily ever after? I believe they did. That they stayed in love? I also believe they did._

_Even if you are the hardest, most battle worn shinobi or kunoichi in the world, you can’t quite seal away love._

_It’s the very core of our humanity, as primal as the instincts of a beast._

_I think Itachi and Kisame had had enough of that world._

* * *

The Uchiha built the funeral pyre in the centre of the Compound, where Mikoto and Konan’s battleground had been.

Ayako, Izumi and Hazuki washed and readied Mikoto for her last event, rinsing her body of blood, wrapping cotton bandages around her wounds to conceal them, combing her long black hair straight so that it lay in silky waves over her shoulders, and wrapping her in her favourite tomesode-kimono. In her hands, they laid the last of her family pictures so she could take them with her to her eternal rest.

Shisui, Hiromasa, Chikao and Yakumi washed and readied Fugaku for his, cleansing his body of blood, wrapping his wounds with cotton bandages, brushed his mussed hair, and then dressed him in a formal haori that would match Mikoto’s tomesode-kimono.

When the former clan head and clan matriarch were ready, they carried them out to the pyre, and laid them side by side.

As one final act, Izumi reached for Mikoto’s hand, and laid it over Fugaku’s, so that they would rest together forever. Beside her, Sasuke stepped forwards, and laid several sheaths of paper in Fugaku’s free hand, that when Izumi looked she noticed were love letters. Sasuke choked back a sob, then bent over and kissed Fugaku on his forehead, and then Mikoto on hers. They stepped away from the pyre, and joined the diminished Uchiha clan as they stood in a ring around the pyre. Ayako disgustedly handed the leash that held Shiro to Sasuke, before grabbing one of her cats and burrowed her face in his fur. Behind them, a very sombre and subdued group of Akatsuki stood with their heads bowed.

“Even I have to admit,” said Hazuki, as the Uchiha bowed to the deceased and offered their silent reflections on Fugaku and Mikoto’s lives. “They were the best clan heads we’ve ever had. They always tried to be fair. They knew how unfair life and society could be and tried to work around it. I don’t agree with everything Fugaku did, but his heart was in the right place.”

“They were,” agreed Ayako. She watched the breeze lightly ruffle Mikoto’s silky black hair, the hem of her kimono, and the love letters clasped beneath Fugaku’s hand. “And they truly did love one another. I could never doubt that.”

Mikoto’s parents stood with their heads lowered. Both of them were wrapped in black clothes, and Mikoto’s mother held a handkerchief to her eyes.

“With your brother missing, you’re the clan head now, Sasuke,” explained Naori, laying a hand on his shoulder. “But you are still underaged. Will you choose a regent?”

“I choose Izumi-nee,” replied Sasuke, his hand still clasping Shiro’s leash as the dog sat patiently in front of him.

Izumi glanced down. “Are you sure? What about someone more experienced? How about Shisui?”

“Is that a joke supposed to cheer me up?” asked Sasuke sarcastically. “I’m sure. I want you to lead. Oka-san taught you, so you can teach me. It will be like learning from her.”

“Any challengers?” asked Naori.

There was a silence.

As Izumi glanced around, she realised that the majority of the Uchiha were now women, and children. The men were very few and far between, and those that remained, were not known for their shinobi skill. It seemed as though a new power dynamic had emerged.

“Then the regency will be yours, until Sasuke comes of age,” said Naori. She moved away, back into the circle.

“Ready?” asked Izumi.

The adult Uchiha who gathered in the circle nodded.

“On Sasuke’s command,” said Izumi.

“Katon!” cried Sasuke.

And then in unison, every adult Uchiha blew into the circle a giant fireball, that engulfed Mikoto and Fugaku’s funeral pyre. The smell of cackling fire blew into the air, and the fire stoked higher and higher. Several of the clan members took a step back from the scorching heat that swelled and consumed the wood.

Konan walked around the circle, holding a wreath of paper flowers in her arms. She stopped before Sasuke and Izumi, inclining her head forwards in a slight bow.

“I am sorry for the lose of your mother, Sasuke,” she said gently. “She was a fine kunoichi and a strong opponent. I think, under any other circumstance, I would have liked her very much.”

Sasuke stared into the flames, unable to speak.

Izumi laid her hand on his shoulder. “It’s all right, Sasuke. You don’t have to talk if you don’t want to.”

“I will lead my organisation out of here,” said Konan. “There are things within our own organisation that I want to change. Including an individual whom might be of interest to your clan. But rest assured, I will continue to look for Kisame. And Itachi. And if I see them, I will tell you straight away.”

Konan held out the bouquet of paper flowers. Izumi accepted it, and then activated her Mangekyo to look at them. Naori had suggested that she do so, knowing from experience that the Mangekyo would give her photographic memories, and she would never truly be able to forget the sight of the dying defeated Mikoto. Making more memories, happier memories, would ease it, Naori had advised. Izumi let her eyes drink in the sight of the intricate folds of paper, and trailed her fingertips over the rose petals.

“They’re beautiful. Thank you,” said Izumi. “I think Mikoto-sama would have liked you too.”

Konan’s amber eyes glinted sadly in the reflection of the flames. Beside her, Deidara brushed through his singed hair, and Hidan bent over on the floor, murmuring prayers in a bizarre, ancient language. Kakuzu clutched his briefcase, and with one hand tucked in his pocket.

Izumi glared up at him. “The eyes of my fallen clansmembers. I want them back.”

Kakuzu glared back down at the little girl. “Finders keepers.”

“ _I want them back_ ,” commanded Izumi. “They were not yours to take, nor are they yours to keep.”

“Return the eyes, Kakuzu,” ordered Konan.

Reluctantly, Kakuzu pulled out the bag of eyes and held them over. Izumi snatched them, and tucked them away in her pocket. “I’ll return them to their owners, or if they are no longer living, I will offer them to my clansmembers who have lost them.”

Shisui stepped around, and joined Izumi and Sasuke.

“You can thank Sasori for the antidote that saved my life the first time,” he said, self-consciously rubbing his forehead.

“I will,” said Konan.

“I too will look for Itachi and Kisame,” said Shisui. “I have made plans to go to Kirigakure with Hazuki-san.”

“I’m looking forward to travelling outside the village again,” added Hazuki.

“Meanwhile, I will remain here with Ayako-sama and Naori-sama, and continue to arrange our re-integration back into the village,” said Izumi. “Oka-san, Shisui-nii, when you come home, you will have a home again.”

“And I will bring Itachi back with me,” insisted Shisui. He cupped his hands around Izumi’s cheeks, his thumb lightly stroking the beauty mark beneath her eye. “I will find him, imouto, and I will bring him home to us.”

“You won’t find him if he doesn’t want to be found,” added Sasuke.

“Of course he’ll want us to find him,” Shisui scolded. He leant down, and hugged Izumi properly, whispering in her ear with determination. “I will bring him home. It will be different now.”

“I’ll make sure he behaves himself,” assured Hazuki to Ayako.

“He better. I know what he’s like,” growled Ayako, but then she ruffled Shisui’s hair, and her eyes were warm and affectionate.

“Aren’t you sad to be leaving that Hyuga man you were seeing?” asked Izumi.

Hazuki shook her head, and then shrugged. “Oh, not really. I grew fond of him, but really, he was just a man. A man is no reason to give up on your dream.”

The pyre continued to cackle and spit, and Izumi felt as though Mikoto and Fugaku’s spirits really were rising up into the air to rest in the afterlife. She laid her hand on Sasuke’s shoulder once again, and held him closely. Tonight, she would attend a meeting with the Hokage to begin arranging the reintegration, and officially report on the occurrence that had happened in the Compound over the previous few weeks.

Kenji, Tekka, Inabi and Yashiro’s bodies are been disposed of but with no honour, given that they had betrayed Fugaku. Shou, Osamu and Rikuto’s bodies had been donated to the research laboratory of Konoha, given that they had also betrayed Fugaku, but began the incident in the first place by capturing Kisame.

When the Hokage had arrived at the Compound to find the Uchiha gathered around the Naka River, staring at the ripples that were the only remaining trace of Itachi and Kisame, Tsunade had believed Izumi when she laid the blame for the incident entirely on them.

Izumi glanced around the Compound, at the remaining clansmen and women. Her friends gathered in one corner, leaning on each other for support. Hinami sobbed onto Mizu’s shoulder, while the ninneko that Mizu had rescued during the battle wound itself around Mizu’s legs, purring to offer her comfort.

As a regent clan head, Izumi knew that she had a lot of work to do, but for her family, she would do it.

Sasuke snuggled against her side, allowing himself to be the child that he still was. Shiro whined, and then rubbed his face against Sasuke’s leg. Izumi laid her arm around Sasuke’s shoulders, and held him close, feeling the spikes of his hair brush against her cheek.

He would be taller than her soon. 

* * *

_Izumi really did secure a safe reintegration back into the village. I couldn’t have chosen a better person for that. It seems as though having a village shinobi for a father helped her there. I don’t think anyone else from our clan could have achieved that._

_As he promised, Shisui went to Kirigakure with Hazuki, and searched for my brother for many years. And yet even as he searched through every corner of the water country, following every single tiny clue that he could find, he never found him._

_But even as he searched, I saw my brother all the time. Whenever I noticed a crow on the window sill, cawing at me as I completed my work, or sitting on a low branch as I trained with Naruto and Sakura, I knew my brother was watching over me._

_And soon tales reached my ears. Tales of a sharkman and strange water creature living in an abandoned cottage on the distant outskirts of Kiri, close by to the shore, offering aid to travellers, outcasts, loners, orphaned children, whoever passed by. Apparently they even took in one of the children and raised them as their own. I don’t know whether to believe the rumours, if it really is my brother, but I suppose, what I want to say is this…_

_If I did tell you about him, this is what I’d tell you._

_I wouldn’t tell you about prodigies, or wisdom, or battle, or sacrifice, or endurance, or any glorified military achievements._

_I’d tell you the funny little things._

_That my brother liked to visit teashops and loved sweets, especially dango. That he was kind. That he believed in peace. That I knew the exact ways to make him smile._

_I’d tell you about the things that made them human._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally...if you have any comments, concerns or questions, please do fire away! I'm happy to accept constructive criticism, as long as its polite and respectful, and I love to talk. Don't be afraid to leave a comment that's too short/long, I will love it regardless!
> 
> Much love - jashinist-feminist x

**Author's Note:**

> any comments, concerns or questions are very welcome, as is constructive criticism! i love to talk, so feel free to make comments as long/short as you want, i am grateful for any support <3


End file.
